Because we own so many family ‘snaps’, it is easy to forget what complex and fragile objects photographs are.   They generally come in the form of a print on paper, with their negatives, from the processor, but we also have slide transparencies and old photographs that have survived from the dawn of photography in the mid 19 Century.    It is these rare photographs and the negatives of our modern photographs that we should take the trouble to preserve because in time our photographs will have both an historical and sentimental value to our families and our communities.

• Photographic material requires a cool, dry, well-ventilated storage environment. Avoid storing photographs in the attic or the cellar. Choose an area away from outside walls where the fluctuations of temperature and humidity are less. The ideal storage conditions for photographs, is a temperature of between 16-18’C and Relative Humidity of between 30-40%.

• Always have clean hands when examining photographs, if you can wear lint-free cotton gloves to avoid making finger marks or stains on the surface. Work on a clean sheet of paper. Use a soft pencil on the back to title prints.

• Do not stack prints or glass negatives, and never place anything on top of a photograph. Avoid using sellotape, staples, paper clips or rubber bands.

• Do not attempt to unroll tightly curled photographs, Consult a conservator.

• Support photograph albums and scrap book on a book cradle to protect the structure of the book.

• Do not smoke, eat or drink where you are studying photographs.

• Whenever you can,  use a copy, especially in the case of photographs that no longer have a negative.

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