So you purchased a beautiful Art print or photo on E-bay. But how do you care for it once it arrives?

This guide will teach you how to keep your special photo or investment in tip top shape!

Photograph Storage and Preservation

Photographic materials have complex physical and chemical structures that present special preservation challenges. However  much can be done to slow the rate of deterioration which takes place in photographic images. This guide will help you to know how to properly store and handle photographs that are important to you.

What Causes a Photo to Deteriorate?

Environmental factors such as temperature humidity and sunlight affect photographs more than any other factor. High heat and humidity followed by cold dry weather such as you would find in an attic or basement are especially bad for photos and may cause cracking and separation of the emulsion image from the support or paper base of the photo.  Dirt dust and oil are also big culprits of photographic deterioration.

What to Avoid When Storing & Handling Photos

Dirt dust and oils from you hands can cause permanent damage. You should handle prints and or negatives along the edges preferably while wearing white cotton gloves.

The worst places to store your photographs is in an un-insulated attic or basement. Constant high temperatures and humidity in the summer and low temperatures and humidity in the winter can cause your photographs to become brittle and crack. In severe cases it may cause separation of the emulsion from the support ie. paper base of the photo. Dampness can cause photographs to stick together. Insects and rodents, commonly found in basements, also like to feed on photos. The best conditions for storing photographs are in a location with a consistent temperature from 65F-70F with a relative humidity of about 50 percent. These arent always possible in a home environment, however, so if your photographs are especially important to you, you may want to consider storing them in a safe deposit box at your bank where the conditions are ideal.
Do not write on the back of your photos with standard ball-point or felt-tip ink pens. Unless it is marked specifically for use on photos, most ink contains acids which will eat away at and stain your photos over time. If you must mark a photo and don't have an acid-free photo marking pen available, then write lightly with a soft lead pencil on the back of the image.

Water and fire can ruin your photos. Keep pictures away from fireplaces, heaters, dryers etc. Avoid water damage by storing photos on high shelves well away from water pipes and in locations not prone to flooding or leaks -don't store in the basement or in a closet which backs on a shower, tub or sink.

Do not take special photos to an inexpensive photo developer for processing, especially one hour services. It is important that the film is developed with fresh chemicals and that the negatives are washed sufficiently for at least an hour and only professionals usually provide these services. Ask questions and make sure you get what you are paying for.

Avoid cheap drugstore-type photo albums and paper and plastic storage products that aren't specifically made for storing photos. Regular envelopes, ziplog bags and other things commonly used for photo storage aren't always safe for your photos. Use only lignin free, acid free un-buffered paper for storing photographs or as interleaving paper in albums. Use only PVC-free plastics such as Polyester Mylar Polypropylene Polyethelyne and Tyvek
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Color Photo Preservation

Black and white photographs, when processed properly and stored correctly could last 100 to 300 years.  This we know is true because even today we have photographs that are over 150 years old and some of them are in excellent condition.  Part of this is because black & white uses metallic silver as the image former and as long as nothing corrupts the silver, it is a permanent element.  This is not true in the case of color photographs as the color is formed by dyes.  Dyes are not stable and this can be seen when the sunlight attacks drapes near a window or any upholstery near the rear window of an automobile.  The sun causes these dyes to fade in the same way that the dyes in a color photograph fade.  This change happens very gradually and you usually will not notice the change until one day you examine the print and notice that your relatives never had green faces.

Photographic manufacturers are aware of this problem and Kodak one of the largest film manufacturers in the world has a disclaimer on each roll of color film.  Check it out for yourself.....the key sentence is  -Since color dyes may change over time, this product will not be replaced for, or warranted against, any change in color. So there you have it - COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS WILL FADE.  If you preserve your color photographs in optimal conditions, the best that you can hope for before they start to fade is 50 years.

Today most film and paper manufacturers are trying to come up with new materials to help prolong the life of a color photograph. Until they can utilize material other than dyes we will still have a fading problem.  To intensify this problem in the 1950s thru the 1980s many photo labs were not aware of this problem and did not adequately process the color prints.  If you have some color photographs from the 1950s or 1960s and you are displaying them you will probably notice a shift or change in colors.

The best and proper way to store color photographs is in a dry dark cool place. Although the sun and its Ultra Violet rays are most harmful to the preservation of color photographs heat and humidity will accelerate the deterioration of the dyes.  Not only is the sun and its Ultra Violet rays very harmful so is regular flourescent lighting.  

I realize that all this makes it seem pointless to use color any more if you want to preserve some memories.  However  there are some things you can do that will help protect  your color photographs.  If you have only one original color photograph and do not have the negative you may want to consider having a color copy made and display the copy print.  Store the original in a dark cool dry place.  A second suggestion would be to have a black and white copy made and have it printed on a fiber paper.  Almost all prints today are printed on RC Resin Coated paper.  Then have this print hand colored.  The fiber paper if processed and stored properly could last 100 to 300 years and the hand coloring will do the same.  The reason is that hand coloring uses pigments not dyes and pigments have much greater keeping properties than dyes.  Just think of the great works of art that are displayed in museums.  The painters from the 1700's  used pigments and most of them are still in fine condition.  Finally if you must display a color photograph  make sure it does not face a window.

Summary of Storage tips

To store photographs individually place them in plastic sleeves void of PVC which can be purchased at photo supply stores.

Store large quantities of photos by layering them between sheets of acid-free paper in metal or acid-free cardboard boxes. Large photo archive boxes can be easily stacked in a cabinet or closet.

When framing use acid-free mats to keep photos from touching the glass and acid free backboards to avoid deterioration of the image. If you are having a photograph professionally framed, be sure to tell the framer you want acid free materials. They are more expensive but worth it so they wont use them automatically.

If you are framing a precious photograph consider having it duplicated before placing it under glass just in case it fades over time while on display.

Wood and wood products like cardboard and paper harm photographs and should only be used if labeled acid free.

A good rule of thumb is storing photos where you are also comfortable not too hot  cold  wet or dry.

Keep photos out of attics garages and basements where they will be subject to extreme temperature fluctuations and excessive humidity.