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Family photos are
priceless. Like a memory, a photograph is a frozen moment, stolen from the
grasp of time. A collection of photos is a visual history of your family,
your friends, your life.
Most of us cherish
our photos. ThatÕs why we keep them safely stored in the attic, the basement,
under our beds or in a drawer. If weÕre really ambitious, we put our favorites
on display, either on the wall or in photo albums or scrapbooks. But are they
really safe?
If you read the previous
article, "What You DonÕt
Know CAN Hurt Your Photos," you know some of a photographÕs
natural enemies. Read on to find out where and how to store your photos.
Keep These
Valuables in a Cool, Dry Place
Uninsulated attics
and basements are the wrong answer. The extreme temperature and humidity swings
in an attic will make your photographic paper crack, and the moisture of a
basement is often off the relative humidity scale. In case of disaster, the
basement is the first place that gets flooded, and the attic is bound to go up
in smoke.
The key is to find
a cool, dry area of your home that is protected from violent changes of
temperature. The ideal climate for photos is below about 68¼ Fahrenheit and
under 50% relative humidity.
If that sounds a
bit like a safe-deposit box at your bank, you may be right. Especially for
one-of-a-kind photos, there is no safer place. But itÕs not a practical choice.
Your photos will be safe if you store them in a cool, dry area of your home.
Showing
Them Off
Most of us love to
share our photos. We use them to decorate our homes, offices and cars, or we
put them in scrapbooks and photo albums that are easy to show off. But we need
to be careful.
Before you hang
that photo on the wall, make sure itÕs safe from the sun. Direct exposure to
sunlight can cause your photographs to fade in just a few years. If thereÕs no
other option, you can either buy a special filter to protect the image, or just
hang a copy on the wall and keep the original safely stored.
If youÕre into
scrapbooking, be highly selective. Most photo albums should be avoided like the
plague. Even some materials marketed as ÒarchivalÓ contain acids, adhesives,
rubbers or other materials that will eventually destroy your photos.
If preservation is
more important than presentation, consider storing your photographs in special
envelopes, safe plastic sleeves or an enameled-steel storage cabinet. Those
treasures are worth the effort and the expense.
Save it
Forever with Digital
The best way to
save your valuable photos may be by eliminating the paper altogether. Consider
making digital images of all your photos. Unlike emulsion-based prints, digital
images donÕt fade, erode or crack. In theory, theyÕll last forever - or at
least as long as we have access to the right technology. If you choose this
route, you should consider storing a backup copy off-site. Several options are
available on the web.
ItÕs a lot easier to wipe off a CD or download your backup than it is to repair a pile of images damaged in a flood or fire...