Photographs

Special Tips

Don't over-handle.

Do hold the edges only, or use cotton gloves.
(The white cotton gloves shown in the above photograph can be purchased from Herefordshire Record Office.)

Don't store photographs in wooden boxes because the chemicals from the photographs can react to the gases emitted by the wood.

Do store them in good quality albums and use photographic corners and archival tissue. You could also use archival print protectors, which are made from polypropylene and will not react chemically with the photo image.

Don't try to clean smears from transparencies, negatives or glass plates.

Do store in a cool dry place.

Don't use photograph albums with self-adhesive pages.

Do use an archival quality photographic paper which will keep the ink colours true.

(The 'silver bloom' seen on some photographs is caused when silver oxidises on the paper and is non-reversible.)