pPhoto Preservation doesnt have to be an overwhelming, daunting
task. Being careful to take simple steps to preserve your photos is
the best way to ensure that your pictures will last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, many people do not think much about these steps, and
when they do, they scramble to try to undo the damage they have
unwittingly caused. Here are the top ten mistakes that people make
when handling and storing photos, and tips on how to prevent common
damage.br br Mistake 10 Writing on the back of a picture with the
closest writing utensil at hand. Pencils, markers, and pens are a
photographs nightmare. Most of these implements contain a substance
that will erode the photo with time. Using a pen that contains
India ink or carbon ink will prevent your photos from being eaten
over the years.br br Mistake 9 Not writing on the back of a picture
at all. Most photos that are lucky enough to survive long term
storage are found by those who have no clue who the people or
places are in the picture. Photo preservation starts with making
sure with carbon or India ink the subjects in the photo are
identified so that they dont get tossed out as insignificant.br br
Mistake 8 Storing the photos in a cardboard or even plastic box.
The problem with cardboard is that it allows dust, moisture, mold
spores, and dirt to sneak in and feast on your photographs. Many
plastic boxes are made of a material that causes corrosion to
photos. To put your mind at ease about storage containers, make
sure you invest in one that is marked for archival use. These are
excellent at keeping the elements at bay, and wont harm your
pictures in the process.br br Mistake 7 Keeping pictures in the
basement. People nowadays possess so many photographs that for many
it is difficult and not ideal to keep them in storage boxes on
their living room bookcase. Avoid the common mistake of storing
them in basements and crawl spaces or the garage floor, for that
matter. Many basements are prone to mold, mildew, and dust, which
love photographs, and many basements, especially older ones, are
usually loaded with humid, stuffy, stale air. Instead, keep the
pictures in a closet in a bedroom, family room, hallway, or above
ground storage room on a shelf.br br Mistake 6 Using self adhesive
magnetic photo albums with the clear cover sheets. It is too bad
that photo albums are the very things that destroy what they were
meant to protect. The sticky adhesive on the pages of these albums
contains acid that slowly chew through the paper backing of
pictures. Instead, use albums and glue that are made of gelatin.
This glue can be made at home or bought in art supply stores.br br
Mistake 5 Using glue, rubber cement, or adhesives that are general
purpose products. Again, these things all contain acid that will
slowly dissolve your pictures. There are now many specially
designed papers, glue, adhesives, and even paper tape that are
marked acid free. This is key to photo preservation, as many people
stick pictures to things with anything they can find.br br Mistake
4 Using corkboards to hold photo keepsakes. This mistake doesnt
require too much elaboration, however, making a point to have acid
free adhesive nearby and getting rid of thumbtacks will help your
pictures avoid looking like they were hung in the middle of a dart
board.br br Mistake 3 Handing pictures to people with or without
food smeared fingers. It is easy to see the immediate effects of
fingers touching pictures Prints all over the place. Many people
opt for a matte finish as opposed to glossy to hide the prints, but
fingers have acid on them, and even if you have matte photos, years
down the road, youll see those fingerprints. To avoid this HANDS
OFF!br br Mistake 2 Stacking pictures in piles, one on top of
another. Pictures themselves have a self destructive property The
chemicals that are used to develop them actually play a part in
photo destruction. Putting photos in stacks that are three feet
tall puts pressure on the photos, speeding up the degeneration
process. Keeping photos in a special box, in a horizontal lineup
will prevent this from happening faster than it should.br br And,
the 1 Mistake when it comes to photo preservation is Putting your
framed photographs on the mantel in the sunroom for all the world
to see. Pictures, of course, are made for people to look at.
Everyone has pictures that are framed and proudly displayed in
their home. Many of these same people have nice, big windows that
let plenty of sunlight in. Sunlight will fade the colors of these
pictures so rapidly the damage can be seen within weeks. Keep
pictures out of sunlight, even if the light would only hit them for
part of the day. No one wants their beautiful black hair looking
grey in the family picture after a year in the sun.br br Avoiding
these ten mistakes and following the tips that follow them is just
the beginning to ensure photo preservation. There are dozens of
other things people unknowingly do with their photos that cause
damage, but these guidelines will get you ahead of the game in the
race against time.phrstronga href titlePhoenix Delrays
ArticlesPhoenix Delrayastrong strongAbout the Authorstrong ppTo
know more about a relnofollow photo preservationa, please visit our
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