Save Your Photos

We all keep our cherished family pictures stored in a shoebox in the attic or basement, in a plastic album on the bookshelf or, for our favorites, displayed on a wall. But are they really safe?

With the prevalence of photographs today, we forget that they are fragile objects that are vulnerable to damage due to improper storage; careless handling; environmental influences such as excess light, UV radiation, humidity, temperature and pollution; and moulds, fungi, insects, rodents and family pets. Besides external influences, photographs are also susceptible to residual amounts of processing chemicals and acid from mounting materials.

Black-and-white photographs, made using light-sensitive silver salts known as silver halides, last longer. Color photographs and slides, which are made from dyes and plastics, are more fragile. Still, any photograph will eventually succumb to a hostile environment and poor treatment.

To secure your photos against deterioration and damage, keep them in the best environmental and storage conditions possible and always handle them carefully. See the following sections for details.