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What would you save in the unthinkable event of a house fire? Once loved ones and pets are safe, most of us would turn to irreplaceable family photographs, so it makes sense to take the best possible care of them. Avoid handling photos, both old and new, with bare hands, as the acids in your skin can damage prints – wear white cotton gloves and hold pictures by the edges. If a precious print is soiled, use a soft, clean paintbrush to brush from the centre outwards. Never wipe photographs with water or write on the back of prints with anything other than a soft lead pencil.

The environment poses the greatest threat to photographs – high and low temperatures, humidity and sunlight – so proper storage is vital. Separate prints with sheets of acid-free paper, place in an acid-free cardboard box and store in a cool, dry place. Alternatively, keep them in albums with PVC-free plastic sheets.

Photographs that are very old or fragile should be mounted on... read on below advertisment



rigid acid-free cardboard and kept inside clear photo enclosures, which are available from specialty print shops. If you don’t have the right equipment at hand, store treasured photos in individual plastic sandwich bags.

You should also consider environmental hazards when hanging your favourite photographs. Frame copies, rather than originals, and look for glass that filters ultraviolet light. Never position photographs in areas that are exposed to a lot of sunlight and avoid hanging them near pipes, where there is a risk of water damage.

Modern techniques of scanning, printing and digital retouching have allowed everyone to become their very own photo shop. If you have a home computer, it’s worth scanning your favourite prints and storing the digital images on your machine or on CDs. And if you need to have old or damaged prints restored, consider one of the many on-line companies that allow you to do it all from home.

Check out www.photodirect.com.au, www.thephotosurgery.com.au or www.saltphoto.com.au.

Words: Georgia Madden. Photography: Scott Hawkins. Styling: Jo Carmichael.