Photos can keep memories for years. But unfortunately they can be torn or damaged due to exposure to harsh external chemicals, careless handling or storage in improper places, which may severely hamper image quality. So here I am going to share some crucial tips of photo preservation with you which will enable you ensure safekeeping of your memorable and valuable images.
Always keep your digital and printed images in a suitable environment. That storage place needs to be dry, cool, dark and must have an average temperature of around 65 degree Fahrenheit. You also have to ensure that the humidity of your storing place is between 30 to 40 percent. Besides, you should never keep your photos in basements or attics or similar other places as these places aren’t often temperature controlled. If you are careless about keeping your photos in a controlled environment, the change of storage environment can cause the emulsion of your memorable photos to buckle and crack and the colors may become too fade.
People often use tape to fix torn photos. Here my suggestion is never use tape to fix such torn photos. Leaving the tear unmended is way better solution than using tape. Alternatively, you can keep your torn photos in a clean and clear polyethylene envelop to prevent further damage of photo quality.
Most people have a common tendency of writing details on the back side of photos. Although it’s really great way to memorize family members as well as date and location of photos taken, but it often damages the photo quality. If you still want to write on the backs of your photographs, my recommendation is to write only using a no. 2 mechanical pencil instead of ink pen. While writing, don’t push your pencil too hard and always write only in the margin.
We usually use albums to keep and organize our photographs and often we choose such albums based on cuteness. But you may not know that these photo albums play a really vital role in preserving your photos perfectly. That’s why you should go through some other considerations while choosing albums for your photos. Always avoid album which requires adhesives to keep photos in it. You should choose albums that hold images on a polythene page and thus can keep photographs for years. Otherwise, you can keep your photos in acid-free paper boxes which usually come with acid-free paper dividers.
And finally when it’s time to clean your photographs, it’s better to hire a professional cleaning service provider instead of doing it yourself, as different photographs may need different techniques of cleaning. Hope these tips will greatly help you preserve your digital and printed photographs perfectly.