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Preserving Photographs & Documents: Difference between revisions
Preserving Photographs & Documents (view source)
Revision as of 13:15, 6 August 2011
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*Should be stored laying flat whether horizontal or vertical. Not folded in an envelope. | *Should be stored laying flat whether horizontal or vertical. Not folded in an envelope. | ||
*Store in acid-free large envelopes or acid-free plastic made from either Mylar D, Polypropylene, or Polyethylene and Tyvek. | *Store in acid-free large envelopes or acid-free plastic made from either Mylar D, Polypropylene, or Polyethylene and Tyvek. | ||
*Put your large negatives in paper envelopes not plastic. Put the dull side of the negative in the envelope so it is not facing any creases or joints of the envelope. Do not place them against each other. Have a piece of acid-free paper between them. | *Put your large negatives in paper envelopes, not plastic. Put the dull side of the negative in the envelope so it is not facing any creases or joints of the envelope. Do not place them against each other. Have a piece of acid-free paper between them. | ||
*Do not laminate your photographs. The glue will dissolve the emulsion on the photograph. | *Do not laminate your photographs. The glue will dissolve the emulsion on the photograph. | ||
*Avoid using | *Avoid using rubber bands or rubber cement which contain sulphur and degrades photographic emulsions. | ||
*Avoid using paper clips as they can abrade or scratch the surfaces of prints or negatives. | *Avoid using paper clips as they can abrade or scratch the surfaces of prints or negatives. | ||
*Avoid using regular tape as it usually contains acids which can accelerate the deterioration process. | *Avoid using regular tape as it usually contains acids which can accelerate the deterioration process. | ||
*Temperature and humidity affect photographs and documents more than any other element. The best conditions are 70 degrees | *Temperature and humidity affect photographs and documents more than any other element. The best conditions are 70 degrees Farenheit with relative humidity under 50%. | ||
*High humidity is most harmful and high temperatures accelerate deterioration. Cyclic conditions (high heat and humidity followed by cold and dry weather, followed by high heat, etc.) are very bad for the emulsion and may cause cracking and | *High humidity is most harmful and high temperatures accelerate deterioration. Cyclic conditions (high heat and humidity followed by cold and dry weather, followed by high heat, etc.) are very bad for the emulsion and may cause cracking and separation of the emulsion from the support. | ||
*Attics and Basements - The worst places to store your photographs or documents is in an uninsulated attic or basement. In the summer, temperatures in an attic could reach 125 degrees F. while in the winter they can get down to less than 0 degrees. With the constant high temperatures and humidity in the summer and low temperatures and humidity in the winter, the photographs or documents will become brittle. In severe cases, the emulsion (image) on the photograph can separate from the base (paper). These cyclic conditions will have a devastating effect on any paper product. | *Attics and Basements - The worst places to store your photographs or documents is in an uninsulated attic or basement. In the summer, temperatures in an attic could reach 125 degrees F. while in the winter they can get down to less than 0 degrees. With the constant high temperatures and humidity in the summer and low temperatures and humidity in the winter, the photographs or documents will become brittle. In severe cases, the emulsion (image) on the photograph can separate from the base (paper). These cyclic conditions will have a devastating effect on any paper product. | ||
*Uninsulated basements are usually moist which can cause photographs to stick to each other. Another problem encountered in basements is that they are great breeding grounds for insects and rodents which are strongly attracted to gelatin and cellulose in the photographic emulsion. | *Uninsulated basements are usually moist which can cause photographs to stick to each other. Another problem encountered in basements is that they are great breeding grounds for insects and rodents which are strongly attracted to gelatin and cellulose in the photographic emulsion. | ||