The tradition of retail sales has been a sort of "now you see it, now you don't" endeavor-- once an item is sold, it's gone. Photo archiving changes all that. More and more collectors and ephemera sellers are opting for a long term approach, selling photographs in a way that allows the original pictures to be archived and selling reproduced images singly or in a collection that is easily downloaded by the customer.

One option is to sell reproductions of old photos where the copyright is no longer valid. (Sellers should state clearly if the photo is a reproduction.) Or, some dealers take a collection of similar photos and create a reference book like Stanley Burns' "Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America," a collection of Victorian era dags and tins with corpses as the subject. Almost any "like" images can fashion a collection--men in work clothes, women walking dogs, children playing, etc.

The biggest stumbling block to this kind of enterprise is copyright infringement. What does copyright mean?

To begin, copyright is defined as a legal protection (US law) for authors of original work and encompasses the protection of intellectual work from unauthorized copying, display, distribution, and false claims of ownership. It is important to note that a copyright protects "something" tangible and not simply an idea. For instance, you may copyright the photograph of an image that conveys a feeling but you may not copyright the feeling itself. The copyright symbol, a "c" is the identifying icon.

Photos maybe identified on the back as belonging to a photographer or contain a copyright symbol. If you see the name of a photographer but determine the photos are old enough that even a child prodigy artist would be dead, you're still not guaranteed the photos are free and clear. Copyrights may be transferred to heirs or publishers as long as the fees are paid. Sellers must be aware that lawyers and copyright holders will sue to protect their property.

Some sellers simplify things and license a copyrighted image in the first place in order to develop products. Companies like Getty Images Inc. (http://www.getty-images.com ) provide a gallery of images to license.

Sellers who display their images through an online auction ad or within a personal Web site usually add text or a watermark. This prevents unscrupulous buyers from simply downloading images without reimbursing sellers for the privilege.

So what do buyers do with purchased photographs? Some add an image to an object--pasting a scene onto, say, a wooden box before finishing it off in a decorative fashion. Others use vintage photo images on personalized stationary or invitations. (Imagine getting a dinner invitation with a romantic view of Venice for a special Italian supper or announcing your next party with images of the Eiffel Tower's construction.) Want a unique anniversary gift? Try decoupaging a wedding photo onto a handsome tray for the bride and groom.

Photo inventories can be a wonderful way to build a budding business one image at a time.