Storing your photographs is one of the most important processes in scrapbooking. You need your photographs to stay safe and archival. Here are a few ways to make this process easier and ensure that you are preserving your photographs, so that you can later preserve your memories.
- Store photographs in a cool place that it not subject to high humidity. In home’s where the weather contains large amounts of humidity, it is best to store photos in a dark closet within a sealed container. Please be sure that your container is PVC free or damage is likely to occur to your photos over a large period of time. Avoid the basement. This is a damp place and countless scrapbookers have lost photographs using this location. I’m one of them.
- Store photographs away from bright light. If you decide to place the photo in a frame to display for family and friends, be sure to use UV filtering glass to avoid color change and fade.
- Always handle photographs by their edges. The oils and acids from your fingers can cause unrepairable damage to photographs over an extended period of time. It’s best to use gloves when handling photos, however it is not necessary provided you take special precautions when handling them.
- Select film with longevity in mind. Use high quality color, negative film and paper to take and print color photographs. This ensures bright, bold colors and long lasting photos.
- When using a professional photographer, ask that he or she print photos on long lived paper. For examples of these, please see my article Exposing the Truth About Film. Do your research when choosing a photo developer as well. Inquire about the type of paper they use, and be sure you are comfortable with that company.
- Treat color photographs, especially older photographs, as a temporary medium and assume you will need to have them copied at a later date. Therefore, please take precautions when storing your negatives to ensure that the copy comes out as beautiful as the original.
Please check out the previous three articles, Organizing Your Photos: Part One – Planning , Organizing Your Photos: Part Two – Sorting
and Organizing Your Photos: Part Three – Selecting.
For more photography tips, please also visit the Families.com Photography Blog.