How to Preserve and Protect Your Family Photos

You’ve undoubtedly come across boxes of yellowed and faded photographs, their colors washed out or tinted green over time. And with photographic technology having made such strides in only a couple of decades' time, plenty of those old photos—no slides to be found, of course—might not even be older than your own high school snaps.

The good news is that there are both professional restoration services and ways that you can conserve—and digitize—the images yourself. The American Museum of Photography gives some of the best advice. First, the museum advises, take a good look at how your images are being stored. Store photographs in boxes specifically designed as archival, and don't store them where they could be damaged. Hazards include direct sunlight, basements or attics where insects and rodents can be a problem, and bindings with adhesives that can degrade over time.

When creating albums, steer clear of the old-school photo albums with black paper pages, which can damage delicate photo papers, as well as magnetic albums, which can leave adhesive residues on images. Look for sleeves that are made of polypropylene that’s labeled “archival.” If you have questions about what’s safe, a frame or art shop that deals in photo conservation is the place to find answers and materials. You can also search for a conservator through the professional group the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC), which provides areferral service.

Digitizing photos and papers

The good news is that archival photos and papers can be digitized, which will allow you to handle and share them without jeopardizing the quality of the original.
If you want to go the DIY way, consider the size of the scanner. In other words, don’t allow the lid of a too-small scanner to crease the original if the paper doesn’t fit. And avoid automatic feed scanners, which can jam and damage valuable papers. One of the easiest methods for scanning and preserving is to use your camera, smartphone or tablet. Apps, like the Heirloom app, can scan your photos, adjust the lighting and crop the edges, so your photos might even look better than the originals.
Those that don’t want to go through all the effort of scanning and cropping can take their box of photos and send it to a photo scanning service. Prices are listed at $144.95 for 500 scans onScanCafe. Photos are hand-scanned, enhanced and sent back as digital files on a DVD. Plus, they’ll create an online gallery of the scans, so you can share with friends and family.

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Photo and article courtesy of Accent by Chubb