Selected Bibliographv
Eaton, G. T. ( 1985) C ol1serl'at 10/1 ofpl70tographs.
Family photogrnph courtesy of Monique Lloyd
Storage
• Controlling sand monitoring relative humidity,
temperature, light levels, air quality, biological
activity, housing material quality, and artifact
quality is essential.
• Ideal temperature 65-70 degrees. less if can be
maintained with RH between 30% to 50%. The
biggest culprit is extreme changes in temperature
or relative humidity, throughout the day it should
be less than 10% fluctuation.
• Cold storage (below freezing) is recommended
for unstable materials (cellulose nitrate, cellulose
acetate).
• Customize housing to meet specific needs of indi­
vidualized photographs and groups based on
process, formal. condition. and value.
• Sleeves should be made of clear polyesler or
polypropylene and mats should be made of four
ply paperboard.
• Any enclosure, including sleeves, mats, overleafs,
and boxes, should meet or exceed the benchmarks
established by the Photographic Activity Tesl
(P.A.T.) An lntemational Standards Organization
(ISO) standard.
Rochester, NY: Eastman Kodak Co.
Keefe, L. E. & Inch, D. (1984). The life ofa photo­
graph: archival processing, malting. framing. Boslon,
MA: Focal Press.
Henricks. K. B (1977) Preservati on 0 f photograph ic
records, Archivaria, 5. 77-78. Retrieved July 10, 2008
http://jouma Is.s fu. calarch ivar/index. phpJarch ivari a!
article/view/10568/11416
Lavidrine, B. (2003). A guide to the prevel1lotivc
conservation oj"photograph coflcctions. Los Angeles,
CA: Getty Conservation [nstitUle.
Library of Congress. Care, handling. and storage of
photographs informal ion leaflet. Retrieved July 10,
2008 from hrrp://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/
phololea.htln 1
NEDCC preservation leaflets on photographs
http://www.nedee.orglresourcesileaflets.list.php
Preservation ofphotographs. (1979). Rochester, NY:
Eastman Kodak Co.
Reilly, J. M. (1986). Care and idemijicalion of 19117­
century photographic prints. Rochester, NY: Family photograph courtesy of Jennifer Sokol Blosser
Photographic Products Group, Eastman Kodak Co.
Rempel. S. (1987). The Care of Pholograph~. New
York, N.Y.: Nick Lyons Books.
Jennifer Sokol Blosser
Ritzenthaler, M. L., Munoff, G.J. & Long" M. S. Monique Lloyd
(1984). Archives and manuscripls: Administration of Robyn Ward
photographic collections. SAA Basic Manual Series.
Chicago, IL: Society of American Archivists. Emporia State University
LI827XO
Weinstein, R.A. & Booth, L. (1977). Collection. use,
July 2008
and care of histoncal photographs. Nashville, TN:
American Association for State and Local History.
 History
• Photograph comes from the root phol- or phos-,
("light' in Greek): an art fonn WTitten by light.
•
/826 First photograph taken by Niet':phore Niepce
using sun WTiting or heliophore.
• /834 Henry Fox Talbot creates first salted paper
print (calotype).
• /837 Louis Daguerre creates images on silver
•
plated copper (daguerreotype).
/852 Frederick Scott Archer developed '"the wet
plate process" (collodion).
• /855-1857 Direct positive images on glass
•
(ambrotypes) and metal (tintypes or ferrotypes)
become popular.
! 871 Richard Leach Maddox develops an emul-
sion of gelatin and silver bromide on a glass plate,
the "dry plate" process.
• /884 George Eastman develops technOlogy of film
to replace photographic plates.
Co 11tp0 sitio Il
• With the exception of daguelTeotypes and plain
paper photos, most black and white photographs
consist ora base material, topped with a light-
•
sensitive emulsion. Base materials include metal.
glass, film or paper.
Emulsions are usually made of albumen. collodion.
or gelarin. The most common light-sensitive mate-
rials added to the emulsion are silver salts. The
emulsion side of prints is the side thai contains the
image.
Handling Re{orntattillgffreatlltellt
• Paper bases and binders can become increas- • A conservator specializing in photographs
should be consulted before any treatment should
ingly brittle which can lead to greater opportuni-
occw-. He or she can identity active deteriora-
ties for creases. tears and cracks in albumen and
I I•
tion problems and then introduce treatments that
gelatin binders.
will stabilize the condition of photographs.
A void bending or flexing old prints. Place a
I I secondary support, like a good quality piece of
mat board or heavyweight polyester sleeve, be-
• Knowing whether an item can be conserved or
not significantly aids in the handling, access and
housing 0 f fragi Ie photographs.
I
hind a print during handling. Photographs should
I
t
•
be handled carefully at the edges only.
NaMal body oi Is can leave marks on the surface r Digitized and reproduced photographs can be
used for outreach and access purposes.
I I of a print and eventually cause severe damage by
staining the photograph. Cotton gloves should be
• Preservation copies or surrogates should be con-
sidered when handling originals is likely 10 re-
worn.
suit in damage or loss.
II
• I
Exhibition I
•
I·
•
Digitizing can be used by repositories to de-
velop collaborations and pannerships .
Factors to consider when deciding to exhibit I I Life Expectancv
t t· photographs include condition and value, vulner-
I ability to light, and past exhibition history.
1· Additional factors include location and security
of exhibition site. and environmental conditions.
• Most forms orblack and white photographs are
chemically stable and, with optimal storage con-
ditions. can be expected to last several hundred
I I. Displays should be regularly rotated. Items years or more.
should nol be on exhibit for more than three
months. • Cellulose nitrate negatives or prints are the ex-
ception to this general rule, being chemically
• Tum off lights when not needed and/or cover unstable and combustible as a result.
lights with filters. For natural light considera-
•
tions use ultraviolet filters on windows or use
drapesiblinds to alleviate sunlight.
Reproductions may be used when exhibition
I r Factors contribut ing to the deterioration of pho-
tographs include poor environmen(~1 conditions
(fumes from other materials. biological!
microbial threats, improper lighlJhealJhumidiry
space and conditions do not meet preservation exposure), inappropriate photo housing
requirements. (enclosw·es), and rough handling (fingerprints
and tears).