Faces of the Past and Future #2

 I’m back!!! And tonight I want to talk about your older photographs. Have you looked at the photos made from the 1936's to about the 1980’s?  Many were done in kodachrome, early color processing by Eastman Kodak Company. I have been surprised to see how many of my early photos are fading away and most are becoming a gold color. Many of my early Polaroid photos are fading away too. I have started scanning these before I lose them completely.  

Black and white photographs are still the best, but it is hard to find black and white film. My older black and white photos are nearly as good as when they were taken and developed, because of the established archival permanence of well processed silver halide based materials.

If you have ancestral photographs made in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, many of them are fading because at the time they were printed, they were not completely developed. Again, to preserve them, they should be scanned and the originals put in archival sleeves and kept in a safe place, with little to no humidity.

And a word of caution – if you have put your photographs in the magnetic albums, so popular about ten years ago (and still being made), GET THEM OUT OF THOSE ALBUMS! That is the very worse way to keep your photos. If you find that your photos are sticking in those albums, when you try to retrieve them, use a hair dryer to release them. I am sure there are other ways to loosen them, but this has worked for me. Blow the air at one corner of the photo, and slowly, work the photo loose.

If you don’t scrapbook, the best way to store them is to use an archival quality sleeve, open at both ends. Store them in an acid free box, if possible. If you scrapbook, then you are probably aware of the advantages of that type of album.

I heard a lecturer recently, who spoke about digital photos. The main focus was on printing them. He stated that if you print them at home, you should always use the paper that is made by that company, i.e. Cannon, should be printed on a Cannon printer, on Cannon paper and of course, using the Cannon ink that printer would call for. If you have to have them printed commercially, use the highest grade of paper they offer.

One last thought on photos – if you have photographs that are taken in the city, or township, that you or members of your family grew up in, be sure to take them to the Historical Museum in that area and either donate them, or let them make a copy. I worked for a historical museum and am now volunteering at the one in my residence city, and people have no idea how many photographs are thrown away daily, that should be in that repository. Pioneer families, changes in the landscape and way the territory has grown are so important to future generations. I always say, “if you are going to throw them away, bring them to the museum. We can throw them away if they are not pertinent to the collection focus, but if you throw them away before we have the opportunity to see them, it is too late.”

Well, think I accomplished this in two nights, instead of three! I guess the most important thing I am trying to convince you of is – take lots of photos, sometimes it may be the only or last chance to capture that special one, and enjoy the memories!!! Hugs and love.