Seeking Advice

[a chesters]

I have taken custody of a large number of photos, some in albums, some loose, from my mother-in-law, after she was forced into a nursing home.   Some of them, from the 1890's, up to the 1930's, are studio photos, and in remarkably good condition.

There are many others, from the 1930's to the 1950's, which look as though they are loosing their colour, or perhaps the chemicals are fading or reacting over time.

Could someone please give me some advice on how to preserve them

I have scanned them all, but due to the condition, some are not too good.

Should I try to find a professional to restore them , or just scan them as best as possible?

Any advice will be very gratefully accepted.

A Chesters

in Australia

[PrueM]

Hi A Chesters

There is a lot of advice on the "FH Documents and Artefacts" board here on Rootschat - just scroll down and check the topics from the top down:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,420.0.html

My personal view is that unless a photo is badly damaged (i.e. emulsion peeling off etc) it is usually not worth physically restoring it (in monetary terms, at least).  Best to scan it in colour, at very high resolution and bit depth (at least 16 bit I think is the current archival standard) and store the digital files in more than one place, and to archival standards (you'll have to Google for those, they're not my forte!).  Then store the originals in plastic sleeves, or paper if you are in a tropical climate, and keep in a cool, dark, place in a stable environment (somewhere well insulated such as a wardrobe or linen cupboard is ideal).

If you have any other questions that are not answered elsewhere on the boards, just let me know

Cheers
Prue

[Niksmum]

Hi A Chesters

There is a lot of advice on the "FH Documents and Artefacts" board here on Rootschat - just scroll down and check the topics from the top down:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,420.0.html

My personal view is that unless a photo is badly damaged (i.e. emulsion peeling off etc) it is usually not worth physically restoring it (in monetary terms, at least).  Best to scan it in colour, at very high resolution and bit depth (at least 16 bit I think is the current archival standard) and store the digital files in more than one place, and to archival standards (you'll have to Google for those, they're not my forte!).  Then store the originals in plastic sleeves, or paper if you are in a tropical climate, and keep in a cool, dark, place in a stable environment (somewhere well insulated such as a wardrobe or linen cupboard is ideal).

If you have any other questions that are not answered elsewhere on the boards, just let me know

Cheers
Prue

Please make sure they are acid free

Irene

[PrueM]

Please make sure they are acid free

Irene

Hi Irene

Please see my note here about the term "acid free":
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,66730.msg272547.html#msg272547

And here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,573168.0.html

Cheers
Prue

[a chesters]

Thank you both very much for that information.

As I said, some are in very good condition, but I will follow your advice, and re-scan those which are considered of importance to the wider family, to the higher conditions, and then find, or try to, proper storage containers.

And I thought I had most of it done, but.................

Again, thanks for all your help.

A Chesters