Research by Subject: Family History Archiving: Photographs

Storage & Care

Environment

For the most part, the ideal environment for long term storage of materials is about 70° Farenheit with humidity below 55%.

Do not store materials in spaces that experience large fluctuations of temperature and humidity.

Stark fluctuations can speed up the deterioration of your materials or contribute to the development of major issues i.e., paper becoming brittle, mold growth.

Enclosures

The benefit of having smaller enclosures for materials is that enclosures have their own micro climates that can be controlled due to their smaller scale. Smaller enclosures also help stop the spread of things like mold and pest infestations.

Issues in Storage

Issue	How to Identify	Mitigation or Solution
Light	If photo was in frame, open frame and review edges to see if there is evidence of fading or color change. Digitally printed photos will experience a large color change due to printing technique.	It is important to identify the type of photograph(s) are in your collection to determine how light sensitive it is. Create copies for display, rotate periodically. Use frames with UV filtering glass.
Water	Emulsification of photo will break down. Surface is tackier causing photos to stick together.	Keep materials away from known leaks or pipes. Practice safe handling by keeping beverages away when viewing materials. To be avoided so that it does not progress to a mold outbreak. Do not stack photos on top of each other.
Handling	Wear on edges, creasing, bending. Presence of oils, dirt, or fingerprints on photograph or negative.	Handle photos or negatives with clean, dry hands or lint-free cotton gloves. Handle by edges only. Create copies to be shared and handled while original is kept in storage.

Resources on Photo Preservation

IPI's Guide to Preservation of Digitally Printed Images
The purpose of this guide is to provide basic information on the preservation of digitally-printed images in scholarly and cultural collections. While there are many printing technologies for output from computers, this guide focuses on the three most popular forms of image hardcopy: inkjet, dye sublimation, and electrophotography. It includes information to help understand these technologies, strategies to develop print identification skills, a schema for media naming, as well as recommendations for storage conditions, selecting enclosures, proper handling, and display.
A Short Guide to Film Base Photographic Materials: Identification, Care, and Duplication
New technologies are adopted based on their advantages, and disadvantages are considered later or sometimes not at all. Preservation often involves working to mitigate those disadvantages and, in the case of photography, this means working to increase the stability of inherently unstable materials. This guide provides assistance with identification, care and duplication.
Types of Photographs: 19th and Early 20th Century
This leaflet introduces the different types of photographs and their distinguishing characteristics and should serve as a basic guide in identifying individual photoprints and negatives.
Preservando las fotografías de familia
Las fotografías de familia son como una ventana en el pasado que revela muchos detalles de nuestros ancestros y de dónde hemos venido. Necesitamos preservar esas fotografías a fin de capacitar a las futuras generaciones a disfrutar los placeres de contemplar el pasado. Esta guía, creada por la Sociedad de Archivistas de California, detalla consejos basicos para preservar fotos familiares.