How to Protect Digital Photographs
Follow Certain Handling and Display Practices- Use Archival Products
Sep 11, 2009
Backing up images that are digital and analog (traditional photos from slides and negatives) to a silver-colored CD or DVD will keep them ready for viewing and reproduction for about two to five years, says photo store vice president Mark Comon.
As for prints, most of the large photo processors with online service or print labs and send-out service in retail stores produce prints on standard photo papers that will not start to fade for about 20 or 25 years. Others will fade sooner, others later. The inks and papers do-it-yourselfers and professional photo labs use play a large role in the longevity of the prints.
Tips For Extending the Life of Photos
Photographers can help their images retain quality longer by using archival products, which will be discussed later, and/or following these practices:
- When handling prints, wear white cotton gloves to protect them from fingerprints. which have harmful oils.
- Keep prints out of direct light, which makes them fade faster. Store them in albums. Acid-free albums are best.
- If the photographer wants to display a print, frame it using glass or plastic to protect it from the pollutants in the air. Glass and plastic which has been treated to provide UV (ultraviolet) protection against light can be purchased. Photographers should always use a mat to protect the photo from the glass or plastic. Acid-free mats and backing for photos are best. High-quality backing will not leave marks on the underside of the photo as time passes.
- Wait 24 hours before storing or framing a print because the ink needs to cure.
If photographers want images to not begin fading for more than 25 years or so, they must step into the realm of archival techniques and products. Author David Karlins writes that loosely speaking a print is considered archival if it does not start to fade for from 60 to 80 years. Images printed on archival photo paper with compatible inkjet printer inks will usually not start to fade for at least 60 years. Products made from wood such as frames, mats and paper, unless they have been treated, are acidic and harmful to photos. Paper that is archival is acid-free and will not yellow or flake.
Depending on the ink and paper used, some photos will not start to fade for from 60 years up tp 300 when stored away from light. Wilhelm Imaging Research is an independent testing lab that evaluates photo papers and inks with the mission of the preservation of digital color photos and motion pictures.
Online the company offers free technical information about preserving photos. Prints made with dye-based inks tend to fade faster than those made with pigment-based inks, which might not begin to fade for about 75 to 100 years. But the colors of pigment-based inks might be less vibrant..
Canon, Epson and Kodak are some of the companies that make archival papers and inks and photo printers. The general advice is that when using an inkjet printer, use photo paper and photo inks from the same manufacturer. Photographers who want their photos to maintain a high quality for a long time should use products that are designated as archival.
Backup Photos to High-Quality CDs and DVDs
Perhaps the easiest way to keep images safe for future use is to back them up on archival CDs and DVDs. These discs are gold-colored with a hard, scratch-resistant coating. Comon recommends the Promaster or Delkin brands, which he says will keep images reproducible for up to 50 and 300 years, respectively. These more expensive discs cannot be purchsed at office superstores or national discount reailers but rather online or in camera stores that cater to serious amateur and professional photographers.
Of course, a photographer who stores digital images on archival media need not be too concerned if a photo fades. He or she just makes another print from the media. Other good news too is that slides, negatives and prints taken with film cameras can be scanned and then saved to archival media.
Sources:
- Doeffinger, Derek. Complete Guide to Ultimate Digital Photo Quality: Optimize Your Photos at Every Step. New York: Lark Books, 2008.
- Housenbold, Jeffrey and Dave Johnson. The Shutterfly Guide to Great Digital Photos. New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. 2005.
- Karlins, David. PC Magazine Printing Great Digital Photos. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2004.
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