Saving images and information about them

I am looking for advice about the genealogical information I have been gathering. I download files as well as scan files and photographs as source material for my research. Eventually I would like to create dvds of this information for family members. Here is my problem: since software versions change so rapidly, I fear that people in the future will not be able to read my files. Now I could save them as raw files such as jpeg, tiff, etc., but I know of no way to add information about the file such as people in pictures or other vital information. Does anyone have a suggestion on how I should proceed? Thank you, RS