Here is an early postcard, circa 1905, of an aboriginal warrior and lubra from New South Wales. There is so much that is interesting about this photo. Given the technology of the day it was probably a carefully constructed shot. Photography in 1905 did not lend itself to impromptu activity.

As well as its many other qualities there is one particular quality that that makes it remarkable. It is fast approaching 100 years old. It is an image from a century ago with a degree of permanency that has seen its simple message transmitted through three generations.

If you have a digital camera you have probably been taking lots of photos yourself. Mostly with a degree of carelessness that befits a medium where you can take many shots and only selectively print the good ones. So will those images exist in 100 years? Nope, no chance. The images you are printing on your photoquality printer will be gone in 20 years or so. They do not have the permanency of traditional photography.

The same goes for the stuff you are saving to writeable CDs. You will be lucky if you can read them in 10 years let alone 100.

We are living in disposable times and one of the things that is disposable are our memories.