How to Preserve Family Photos

Vintage family photos are often black and white or sepia tones.

In the digital age, you can scan, edit and improve photos then store them on your computer and create photo albums from e-files. But don't toss those original family pictures. Preserve them, especially the vintage ones, for the next generation.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Acid free photo album or photo box
• Acid free adhesive tape
• Cotton gloves
• Compact discs (CD)
• Negatives
• Photos
• Acid free photo boxes
• Scanners

1. Purchase photo albums with acid-free and lignin-free paper. If an old photo album has plastic or vinyl, update it to one that is PVC-free such as mylar, polypropylene, polyester and polyethylene.

2. Store photos in photo boxes made of acid-free materials with acid-free card dividers. Avoid using rubber bands, paper clips and pins to hold photos together. If you are sticking your photos in scrapbooks, use photo-safe glues and avoid using regular adhesive tapes and glues, which will damage photos.

3. Handle photos carefully. If you are handling rare or vintage photographs, put on cotton gloves. Body oils can be harmful to photographs.

4. Label photos on the back with a photo-safe pen from a photo or craft store. Do not write on your photos, and never use regular ball points or felt tip pens.

5. Store photo albums and photo boxes in a place where young children, pets and pests cannot get to them. Store photos at room temperature, preferably between 65 to 70 degrees, with a relative humidity of about 50 percent. Storage should be away from anything that can cause water leaks and fire. Avoid storing photos in unfinished or uninsulated attics and basements.

6. Avoid exposing photos to direct sunlight, which can cause fading. Avoid storing photos where you store chemicals such as cleaning solutions, garden solutions and detergents.

7. Do not store negatives and photos together. If you have rare photos and negatives, think of putting them inside a fire-proof safe or safety deposit box. Buy negative cases from photo supply stores to safely store your negatives.

8. Scan photos or download digital images and save them on a CD or backup hard drive. Since files can get corrupted and discs can get damaged over time, recopy your files every eight to 10 years. To scan old rare photos, take them to a professional will have equipment that will not damage the photos.

9. Frame photos with acid-free mats and photo safe materials. Avoid displaying framed photos to direct sunlight. If you want to display old and rare photos, use copies instead of the originals.

Tips & Warnings

• Take old photos that have been damaged to a photo studio that offers restoration service. Some companies offer online restoration services; do not send originals. Send a copy so as not to risk losing your photos in the the mail.

• Do not give out your original photos. Always print copies, and keep the originals.

References

• Journals and Books.com: What Is Lignin-Free?
• National Geographic Traveler; Memories; Scott S. Sutckey; Jan. 2008
• Minnesota Historical Society: Preserving Family Photos