Caring for original photos

[PrueM]

Reading and viewing all the great photo restoration jobs on this board, and am really impressed.

One thing does bother me though...I read a thread about soaking a photo off the glass it was stuck to.  As a photograph conservator I can tell you that the owner of this photo was very lucky that their photo came unstuck after soaking in water and detergent!  I would not recommend this treatment.

Every photograph has its own individual inherent problems depending on its age, process, condition etc.  Old photos in particular can be very difficult to treat, as people used to play with chemicals and it can be uncertain what the exact composition of the picture is.

I would recommend anyone who has a photo that is stuck to glass, that is broken into pieces, that has been burnt or faded or discoloured....to contact their local paper or photograph conservator for advice.  In the UK, conservators may be located through the UKIC (UK Institute for Conservation), in Australia it's the AICCM (Aust. Institute for Conservation of Cultural Materials).

Keep up the photoshopping though!  I'm inspired to do some of my own!

Best regards - Prue McKay
Canberra, Australia

[Jane Eden]

Prue

Please advise me how to store our old photos realistically. I have lots of photos from the 1950s onwards. They are just holiday snaps etc. They have just been in drawers, attics etc. I know about the acid free environment but this does seem a bit extreme for all of them (and costly).

What do I do with the old sepia photos which are obviously more precious to me from the 1870s to 1900. Alot of these are large, A4, and these were just in my Mums loft. They are in good condition now and are just in acid A4 plastic wallets! as I only recently found out about the acid free. Can they go in acid free wallets or tissue paper or what.

I know I said the recent ones were not special but I suppose in 100 years time they maybe. Do I just pick out the best?

Your advice will be appreciated.

Jane

[deadants]

Here a link to storing photos that may help. http://aic.stanford.edu/library/online/brochures/photos.html

[PrueM]

Please advise me how to store our old photos realistically. I have lots of photos from the 1950s onwards. ...  What do I do with the old sepia photos which are obviously more precious to me from the 1870s to 1900.

Hi Jane,

deadants link (see above) to the AIC is a good place to start.  I would also recommend http://www.conservationregister.com/Storage.asp as a good general source for information about storage conditions.

Be wary of the term "acid free" - it doesn't always mean what it says.  It simply means that, at the time of manufacture, the product was not acidic.  It doesn't mean that it won't become acidic in the future.  A better way to judge what is appropriate storage material is to look for "archival" or "photo safe" products.
I personally use photo safe polypropylene albums, boxes and sleeves to store all my photographs, from the oldest albumen prints (the ones from the 1860s -80s that some call "sepia" prints) to the snaps from my last holiday.  Another good plastic is polyethylene.  DEFINITELY avoid PVC!!  There are so many formats and sizes of archival storage products today and prices are generally very reasonable.  As you are in the UK I would suggest that you have a look at http://www.preservationequipment.com/Store/Products/Archival-Storage/Albums-$4-Binders for some ideas.  It is best not to skimp on storage of photographs - they are sensitive things and as they get older they need to be taken care of, just like us!   
ANy more questions, just ask.  Always happy to help.
Cheers
Prue

[Jane Eden]

Thanks for the links and the advice

Jane

[emmsthheight]

Hi Prue

Thank you for all these hints.  This is just what I need.

Can I ask as well, please what your advice would be for transparencies and negatives?  I'm talking 1960's to recent.  I know I can scan them, and I am going to have a go, so I can use them on the pc, but how about the originals?

Thank you again.

Best wishes

Emms

[PrueM]

Hi Emms 

The same advice applies for negs and transparencies as for photos - use polypropylene or polyester/polyethylene enclosures and store in a cool, dry, dark place.

And yes - scan them 

Cheers
Prue

[emmsthheight]

Hi Prue. 

Thank you again.  More good advice!

I thought I knew, but I'm not so sure now.  Do I gather ther A4 plastic inserts sold in boxes of 100 etc are not the correct ones?  Not polyethylene?

Thank you again.

Best wishes

Emms

[PrueM]

Hi Emms,
I would think the ones you get in big packs from the supermarket/stationers are absolutely fine - there's not much made of "bad" plastics like PVC these days 

Prue