Article of the week

Michaelmas Term 2022 — Week 10

Preserving your film photographs

If you want your grandchildren to see your film photos, there are several factors that you must take into consideration to preserve the original state of your pictures. Here are some tips that could help you preserve your film photographs.

Originally published on Lomography.com on March 5, 2012, by Jean Mendoza.

You might think that keeping your photos in a box is enough to make them last for a long time. Here are some tips that you might want to consider to preserve the quality of your photos:

  • Wear cotton gloves when handling the prints and negatives. You might not notice it but your fingers secrete oil that can damage your photos and negatives.
  • If you want to display your photos, it is better to have them re-printed. Keep the original copies and display the prints instead.
  • Do not display your photos where it can be hit by direct sunlight as the colours will fade quicker.
  • Save your negatives. You might think that keeping negatives is a waste of time but they are your original documents and it will make it easier for you to obtain copies of your photos in the event that they get destroyed.
  • Take black and white photos since coloured photos fade faster over time compared to black and white photos.
  • If you must write on the back of the photo, do not use an ordinary pen. Instead, use an archival pencil to avoid damaging your photos.

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