How to Preserve Original Photos in Scrapbooks
If you are trying to preserve photos in a way that keeps them both safe and easy to enjoy, then scrapbooking is a great option. Scrapbooking is surprisingly fun and easy to do, and is a practical way to store original photographs. However, it is important to make sure that you scrapbook your original photos properly. Using the wrong tools or scrapbooking methods can damage your original photos, so it's important to follow a few easy rules for properly scrapbooking original photos.
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Instructions
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Use acid-free paper. If you are scrapbooking, you will be displaying photos and other items on background paper within the book. If you don't use acid-free paper, the paper will eventually start to damage the photos attached to it. To visualize this process, picture a stack of old newspapers and how brittle and discolored they are. All scrapbooking paper and many other papers are now acid free.
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Use acid-free glue. As with your paper, it is important that the glue you use for securing photos in scrapbooks be acid free. Acid-free glue comes in many forms, including glue sticks. You can buy glue specifically for scrapbooking, but many mainstream glue brands are also acid free and cheaper.
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Use acid-free tape. If you want to tape down your photos instead of gluing them, it is important to use an acid-free adhesive. If you are scrapbooking original photos, be sure to use acid-free tape. You can buy acid-free tape from craft specialists, companies like Scotch, or you can buy specific photo tape.
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Choose an appropriate scrapbook. Most modern scrapbooks have plastic sleeves that the paper slides into. These new, standard-style scrapbooks are ideal for preserving original photos. Do not use old-fashioned photo albums with adhesive built into the book. The photos will degrade and be damaged in this type of album.
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Store original photos in their original state. As a general rule, don't crop people or even backgrounds out. You may not want to see yourself in a picture, but someday your kids, grandkids or even great-grandkids could be upset that you cut yourself out of a photo. If you want to edit the photo, scan it into a computer and print out an edited version. Preserve the original photo as it is.
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Use technology. When you scrapbook an original photo, it is often the only copy of that picture. Before you scrapbook it, consider scanning all of the original photos and burning them onto a CD. This means that you can make copies of the photos or share them with other people without having to remove them from the scrapbook, which would increase the risk of damage to the original photos.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are unsure whether a product is acid free, ask an archivist or experienced expert, or check with the manufacturer.
