Photographs have existed for more than 150 years, and from the very beginning they have had wide appeal as documentary evidence. More recently they have been accepted as art. While photographs were always collected, it was not until they came into their own as art that any serious thought was given to how to care for photograph collections.

The early days of photography were a do-it-yourself operation. With little standardization of materials and processes, many photographers were forced to develop new materials or adapt what was available for their own processes. The first fifty years of photography saw Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, and several of coated and uncoated printing papers.

By the turn of the century, photographic materials had become more standardized; by the end of World War II photography had become, for the most part, an automated process. As photographic operations became more standardized, photographs become common Today many people have family photographs that date from the turn of the century. Caring for these photographs is much the same as caring for photographs that are taken today. Proper archival processing, storage, and display of photographs can be elaborate and expensive and may be unnecessary for photographs that are only casual snapshots. However, steps can be taken to increase the life of valued photographs, whether they are photographs that have historical, artistic, or sentimental value.

How long a photograph will last depends on how it was processed and how it is stored and displayed. Most photograph collectors will not be directly involved with processing photographs, but all collectors should be aware of the correct way of storing and displaying photographs.

There is little that can be done about how photographs are processed--except for setting up a personal darkroom. Commercial laboratories vary in the quality of their work, and few are interested in processing photographs in an archivally approved manner. It is a good idea to stay away from the discount photofinishers and develop a steady relationship with a "customî laboratory. Price is no indication of quality, and it may take some shopping around before a suitable laboratory can be found.

These days photofinishers use resin-coated paper for printing all photographs. Some photofinishers will, if requested, and at considerable extra cost, print black and white photographs on the older fiber based paper. There is still some question about longevity of photographs printed on the resin-coated papers.

There is nothing that can be done about how old photographs were processed. Any reprocessing of these photographs should be considered restoration work. Restoration of photographs is a highly specialized field that has only a very few practitioners. Nothing should be done to "fix-up" a photograph of any value; it must be taken as it is. However, any photograph can be copied by a qualified photographic studio or laboratory. The copy can be freely touched up, toned, or mounted.

If a photograph has survived for fifty years or more in good condition, it can be hoped that it was processed properly and that with proper care it will stay in good condition. Yet is also possible for a photograph to survived for years, and then suddenly deteriorate for no apparent reason.

Once the photographs are processed, the greatest hazards to them are moisture, heat, light, and most commercially available scrapbooks, pastes, and cardboard. Ideally photographs (negatives, prints, and slides) should be kept in an environment that is stabilized at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (although the cooler the better) and at a relative humidity of 30% to 50%. While it is difficult to maintain a stable temperature and humidity level in the home, some areas of the house fluctuate more than others. Never store photographs in the attic, basement, or garage.

Finding proper supplies locally to store and display photographs can be difficult. Most commonly available envelopes, mat board, pastes, and plastic sleeves are acidic or contain chemicals that will harm the photographs. It will take some looking and asking to find a photographic or artist supply store that stocks neutral pH supplies.

** Displaying Photographic Prints **

1. Always mat photographs before framing. The basic mat consists of a sandwich of two pieces of acid-free rag board hinged together. The backboard supports the photograph while the top piece has a window through which the photograph can be seen and which prevents the glass from touching the photograph. It is important that the glass and photograph do not touch because moisture can creep into the print and cause it to stick to the glass. A window mat allows air to circulate and prevents possible sticking. If the photograph is already mounted, the mount itself can be hinged to a window mat. Prints that are bowed or warped will be difficult to frame because they must not be forced flat.

2. When mounting a print, do not mount it by pasting the entire print onto the backboard. While dry mounting tissue will not damage the print, the high heat of the dry mount process may. Dry mounting is not recommended because there is no way the photograph can be removed from the backboard. The photograph should always be mounted so it can be removed from the mat easily. Use hinges or corners made of acid free paper or mylar. Paste should be chemically intert. Methyl cellulose, rice starch paste, and wheat starch paste are acceptable pastes. Never use rubber cement or pressure sensitive tape.

3. Aluminum frames are safe, light-weight, relatively inexpensive, and came in all sizes and colors. Wood frames can attract insects, and they give off gases that are harmful to the photograph. The long-term safety of plastic frames has not been established. There are many types of plastic, some are safe, some are not.

4. Display photographs in the lowest light level practical. Light is harmful -- particularly to color photographs. Display photographs in tungsten light only. Sunlight and fluorescent light contain ultraviolet rays that will fade or discolor photographs. Special Plexiglas (UF-3) will filter out most of the ultraviolet rays. However, it is a plastic, and, like plastic frames, its long-term effects on photographs have not been established. It scratches easily and develops static electricity which attracts dust. Dust, particularly dust formed by oil or gas heat, is harmful to photographs.

5. When dusting framed photographs, use a dry untreated cloth; do not use any cleaning solutions.

6. Hang photographs on an inside wall away from fireplaces or heating units. Do not hang photographs where they will receive direct sunlight. Heat and humidity speed up any chemical process;they present the greatest danger to the life of a photograph.

** Storing Photographic Prints **

1. Store black and white prints separately from color prints. Color prints pose special problems because they are so unstable. Do not expect color prints, no matter how well-stored to last as long as black and white prints.

2. Most popular methods of storing photographs ("magnetic" paged albums, black paper albums, and scrapbooks) will harm the photographs.

3. Polyvinyl photograph sleeves are not safe. Look for polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene pages which install in ring binders.

4. An inexpensive and safe method of storing prints is to put them loose and flat in a box made of acid-free cardboard, chemically inert plastic or steel with a baked enamel finish. If the photographs are interleaved to prevent them from sticking to each other, the paper should be acid-free. Never keep a photograph that has begun to deteriorate in a box with photographs that are in good condition.

5. Keep the prints in a cool, dark, and dry palace where the temperature and humidity level will not fluctuate.

** Storing Photographic Negatives **

1. Store black and white negatives separately from color negatives. Store slides separately from all negatives.

2. There are three basic types of black and white negatives: glass plate, nitrate based, and safety film. These types should not be stored together. Glass plate negatives are easy to identify because the negative is on glass. It is more difficult to distinguish between nitrate and safety film unless "nitrate" orî safety" is printed on the edge of the negative. The surest test for nitrate film is to take a very small cutting from the edge of the negative, and, holding it with a tweezers over a sink, set fire to it. If it burns quickly with a smell similar to burning hair, it is nitrate base film. If it burns slowly or not at all, it is safety film.

3. Nitrate film is the most difficult of film to store. It is very unstable and will deteriorate easily. As it deteriorates it emits gases that will damage the surrounding photographic materials and paper. The gases can even rust steel. The first sign of deterioration is usually a yellow-brown discoloration followed by a rainbow-like discoloration. It is still possible to get a print from the negative at this point. However, the discoloration will show on the print. As the deterioration progresses the negative will lose its image due complete fading or discoloration. The negative will become sticky or brittle. No print can be made from it at this point, and it will endanger everything near it. While proper storage may slow deterioration, once it has begun, nothing can reverse the deterioration. Remember, too, that large quantities of deteriorating nitrate negatives stored in a warm, enclose space can be a fire hazard.

4. Glass negatives should be stored on their edges. Storing them flat, one on top of another will cause them to break.

5. Store negatives in chemically inert plastic sleeves or in acid-free envelopes. Negatives that are not put in sleeves or envelopes will be damaged by scratches, light, and dirt. Negatives should be kept in the same type of boxes that are acceptable for storing prints.

6. Wash hands before handling negatives. Handle the negatives at the edges only. Never touch the face of the negative, oils from the skin will damage it.

7. Keep the negatives in a cool dry, dark, and well-ventilated place where there is little temperature and humidity change.

8. Slides should be treated like negatives. Since they are color photographs, they are very unstable. Expect to see a shift in color after a few years, even under the best of storage conditions.