Old Photos are Priceless

If you suddenly discovered that your house was on fire and you had one minute to grab something, what would you save? Most people choose the family picture album. Money, clothes, etc., can all be replaced but many family photos are irreplaceable. Your photo collection is a visual history of your family, friends and life.

But it doesn't take a major disaster to lose your precious photos. Unfortunately, like any physical medium, film and photographic paper degrade over time, cracking, fading and discoloring as heat, humidity, and improper handling take their toll.

Can they be saved? 

There are a number of things you can do to ensure that your photos remain available for future generations:

• Preserve original film and prints for as long as possible (see Prevent Damage).

• Digitally copy film and/or prints, and repair damage or aging effects (see Restore Photos).

• Carefully organize and store both your original materials and digital files.

This site is intended as an information portal for all of these processes. We provide a lot of information and links to many resources that can help you with these tasks. Content development is ongoing, so please bear with us as some sections are more complete than others. Check back often, as information is being added constantly and we will be expanding the coverage to include photo organization and display. If you would like to submit information or have suggestions, please Contact Us.