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	Unrolling/Flattening Faded Images Proper Enclosures				Handling Photocopying Writing on an Image

Can I unroll and flatten a photograph that has been rolled for a long time?

It depends!  Paper has “memory,” so when a photograph has been rolled for a very long time, it will not unroll easily.  The ease of unrolling will be determined by overall size, paper thickness, paper condition, and how tightly it is rolled.  Large pieces are more cumbersome, and the thicker the paper, the stronger the memory.  Embrittled paper (usually yellowed and easily torn) should be unrolled only by a trained conservator.  If you sense you might be causing tears, creases, or other damage in an attempt to unroll the photograph, or it continually springs back and rolls up, stop and consult a conservator.  If you successfully unroll the photo, weight it lightly for a period of time to flatten it slowly.  Isolate it between sheets of unprinted paper (preferably acid-free tissue) and place this package between two flat surfaces with a weight on top.  A small photograph (and its isolating sheets) can be placed between the pages of a hardcover book laid flat and weighted.
 

What can I do for old, faded family photographs?

The first step is to get your photographs into a beneficial environment.  Photographs should be kept cool, dark, and dry, shielded from acids and pollutants.  Remove acidic materials (e.g., mats, cardboards, backing boards).  Provide each photograph with its own archival enclosure and store them in an archival box in an appropriate location.  Avoid storing them in basements and attics.

Next, decide if you need copies.  In some cases it is possible to duplicate photographs in a manner that enhances fading details.  Contact a photograph conservator for more information.  Be sure to ask for fiber based, archivally processed prints.  Fiber-based prints retain the look and feel of older photographic processes better than resin coated prints.  They can also be toned for greater stability or to recreate the color of the original photograph.

Should I use buffered or unbuffered materials to store my photographs?

Most paper-based pieces should be stored with buffered materials (having a pH of 7.0 or higher).  The exceptions are color photographs and negatives, which should be stored with unbuffered materials (neutral pH of 7.0).  Photo boxes, enclosures, and interleaving tissues should pass the P.A.T (Photographic Activity Test) to be safe for photograph storage.  Avoid using polyvinyl acetate (PVC) plastics as these break down chemically and can cause deterioration of the stored materials.

Should I wear gloves to handle photographs?

Never handle any type of photographic negative or print with bare hands – always wear white cotton gloves.  The acids and oils in fingerprints can mark and etch photographic emulsions.  Handle negatives and prints at the edges.

Is it ok to photocopy or scan my old photograph?

While prolonged light exposure can cause paper deterioration and fading of media in both photographs and paper pieces, the short, intense burst of light from a photocopier or scanning equipment is acceptable for a stable piece (with the intent to reduce overall handling of the original).  Continuous use of a photocopier to make many copies of one original is not recommended because the light is extremely bright and intense and will age the piece.  When copying books, take special care not to break the spines by pushing the page flat on the bed or pushing the lid down, or seek out this special-purpose photocopy machine.

Can I write on my photographs?  What should I use?

Ideally, information should be written in graphite pencil and placed on an enclosure a rather than written on the photograph itself.  Make all notations on the enclosure before placing the photograph inside.  Photographic marking pens (including archival pens) are meant for marking enclosures -- NOT photographs and negatives.

If you must mark the photograph, always write on the verso (back side) of the print, in the margin or border.  Inscriptions on paper-based photographic prints should be made with a soft graphite pencil.  Avoid exerting too much force, which will cause impressions in the image.  Resin-coated (RC) prints (papers coated with a smooth plastic on recto and verso) will not accept pencil, but a water-based India ink can be used.  RC prints can be gently abraded to provide a writing surface for graphite pencil.  Do this with emery paper on the verso along an edge.

Avoid using ballpoint pens, felt-tip markers, rubber stamps, and inks on photographs.  These may be acidic, can cause fading of the image, or could migrate to the front of the photograph and disfigure the image.  Stamps that use non-bleeding ink (such as Actinic ink; consult an archival supplier) can be used on both paper and RC prints, but the ink requires some drying time.