How best to store your photos
continued:
Use only paper enclosures that are made from a high quality, non-acidic, lignin-free paper (buffered or unbuffered are OK) made from cotton or highly purified wood pulps. Avoid paper enclosures (envelopes) with center seams as the seam adhesive may cause staining, if it happens it will mark the middle of your photograph.
When using plastic enclosures be sure they are made from uncoated pure polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester (known as Mylar D or Mellinex 516). These are stable and won't damage your photographs. Of the three, polyester is crystal clear and rigid compared to its counterparts. Avoid PVC plastics as they generate acids which will fade the photograph in time plus PVC releases odors too. Additionally, PVC can stick to items and in some types of photographs, actually cause the image to transfer to the plastic.
Albums are an ideal storage method for photographic prints, especially snapshots and heirloom photographs--the photographs can be safely stored and organized, and safely viewed, without inflicting damage from frequent handling. Since albums can be bulky a good option is to have your images scanned and stored in digital format to CD's or DVD's, then if you wanted, printing photobooks would be an ideal option for displaying these images. Besides albums and photobooks, there are many different types of storage enclosures designed for different photographic formats and sizes. These include folders, sleeves, folios and envelopes.
Photographs can also be stored in plastic pocket pages and standard size plastic sleeves, grouped in folders for organization, then stacked in a box. Photographs 8 x10 inches or smaller can be stored vertically on their long edges in standard size boxes which are available for many photographic formats, including modern and nineteenth-century photographs. Photos larger than 8 x 10 inches, or those with damaged edges (brittle, torn) should be stored flat in small stacks inside standard size boxes. Groups of similar sized photos which are all the same type, such as modern 4 x 6 inch color snapshots, or older 2-1/4 inch black-and white snapshots, can be stored vertically or horizontally together without extra housings--photos which are the same type are usually safe to store in contact with each other. Boxes should be neither over stuffed or under filled. Over stuffing causes damage when photos are pulled out or filed away; under filling causes the photos to slump and curl.
The safest, but most expensive way to store photographs is to have them matted on high quality ragboard or matboard. This method is excellent for photos that are to be framed and displayed.
continued:
Use only paper enclosures that are made from a high quality, non-acidic, lignin-free paper (buffered or unbuffered are OK) made from cotton or highly purified wood pulps. Avoid paper enclosures (envelopes) with center seams as the seam adhesive may cause staining, if it happens it will mark the middle of your photograph.
When using plastic enclosures be sure they are made from uncoated pure polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester (known as Mylar D or Mellinex 516). These are stable and won't damage your photographs. Of the three, polyester is crystal clear and rigid compared to its counterparts. Avoid PVC plastics as they generate acids which will fade the photograph in time plus PVC releases odors too. Additionally, PVC can stick to items and in some types of photographs, actually cause the image to transfer to the plastic.
Albums are an ideal storage method for photographic prints, especially snapshots and heirloom photographs--the photographs can be safely stored and organized, and safely viewed, without inflicting damage from frequent handling. Since albums can be bulky a good option is to have your images scanned and stored in digital format to CD's or DVD's, then if you wanted, printing photobooks would be an ideal option for displaying these images. Besides albums and photobooks, there are many different types of storage enclosures designed for different photographic formats and sizes. These include folders, sleeves, folios and envelopes.
Photographs can also be stored in plastic pocket pages and standard size plastic sleeves, grouped in folders for organization, then stacked in a box. Photographs 8 x10 inches or smaller can be stored vertically on their long edges in standard size boxes which are available for many photographic formats, including modern and nineteenth-century photographs. Photos larger than 8 x 10 inches, or those with damaged edges (brittle, torn) should be stored flat in small stacks inside standard size boxes. Groups of similar sized photos which are all the same type, such as modern 4 x 6 inch color snapshots, or older 2-1/4 inch black-and white snapshots, can be stored vertically or horizontally together without extra housings--photos which are the same type are usually safe to store in contact with each other. Boxes should be neither over stuffed or under filled. Over stuffing causes damage when photos are pulled out or filed away; under filling causes the photos to slump and curl.
The safest, but most expensive way to store photographs is to have them matted on high quality ragboard or matboard. This method is excellent for photos that are to be framed and displayed.
