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Photographs
Easy do-it-yourself methods for storing photographs
This section describes:
methods for protecting individual photographs; methods for attaching photographs to album pages so that they can be easily removed without damage; and methods for constructing simple albums.
Photographs should be wrapped individually or interleaved if possible. This protects the individual photographs from abrasion, dust and light, and provides the basic layer in a layered storage system.
Making a four-flap wrapper
Mark out with pencil the four-flap wrapper on the material you are using to store individual items.
Click here to see diagram
The base of the four-flap wrapper should be slightly bigger than the item, so that the flaps can fold over without bending the edges of the photograph, but not so big that the photograph can move freely within the wrapper.
The flaps are marked out slightly shorter than the base, and tapered from the base to the outside edge—this is not shown in the diagram.
When making a wrapper for thicker items, for example, glass negatives or slides, allow for the thickness or the wrapper will not fit.
Once it is marked out, the wrapper can be cut and the flaps folded over. The dotted line indicates where the wrapper is folded.
The photographic emulsion should be placed face-down on the base, and the flaps folded around the back of the item.
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| Four-flap wrapper containing a cased ambrotype.
Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia
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Simple wrapper/interleaving method
There are occasions when a simpler wrapper may be more practical. In this case, you can place the individual photographs inside a fold of the material you are using for storage. This method is better than simple interleaving.
Click here to see diagram
Preferred methods of attaching photographs to album pages
Photocorners: Photocorners are an excellent method of attaching paper items to mounts without using adhesives. They should be made from archival materials—Mylar is particularly suitable.
Cut a strip of Mylar to an appropriate size—15 x 45mm is a good size for small items. Then fold the strip to produce a triangular section in the centre, as illustrated:
Click here to see diagram
Mylar is difficult to fold and you may need to use a letter opener, a bone folder or the blunt edge of a knife to crease it fully.
Once this is done, place 6mm wide acid-free double-sided tape on the unfolded ends of the photocorner.
Click here to see diagram
This way, the photocorner can be stuck down to the backing paper and no adhesive touches the items being mounted.
Click here to see diagram
Click here to see diagram
Slits in the album pages: This technique can also be used for attaching photographs to album pages. Using a double slit, as illustrated, involves much less risk to the photographs than a single slit.
Click here to see diagram
| CAUTION: |
| This method should be used only with paper and should be considered as a last resort, because the corners of the photographs can be creased and eventually break along the line of the slit in the paper backing. This method should never be used with heavy paper or cardboard. |
Simple albums
If archival-quality albums are unavailable or unsuitable, or if you would prefer to make your own, you can make an album using a ring binder.
The photographs should be attached to thin acid-free card or medium-weight, acid-free paper by one of the methods outlined above. If you are using the slits in the album pages method of attachment, use paper not card. If you don't have acid-free paper, you can use fresh photocopy paper, but consider this an interim measure only.
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| Archival-quality photograph albums.
Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia, albums supplied by Anthony Zammit
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Place the photographs on their supporting papers or card in Mylar or Copysafe polypropylene sleeves, which are positioned in the ring binder.
If the albums are to be kept in storage, they should be placed in boxes or wrapped, to prevent dust entering the sleeves.
A word of caution about buying albums
Many commercially available photographic albums are not suitable for the long-term storage of photographic collections. Damage to collections can result from the use of some albums. This section describes some of the factors you need to be wary of.
So-called magnetic albums. Photographs are held in position by placing them on top of parallel lines of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the surface of the album pages. A plastic sheet is then placed over the top of the page containing the photograph.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives are the same as those used on sticky tapes. As these adhesives age, they first become very sticky and are absorbed easily into paper, fabrics and emulsions. In the next stage the adhesive changes chemically and begins to yellow and eventually turns a dark orange.
At this stage the adhesive is almost totally insoluble; and the stains, and sometimes the photographs, cannot be removed. Photographs and papers attached to these album pages develop stripes.
The rigid, cardboard pages of these albums are made from poor-quality paper, which becomes acidic as it ages.
The plastic sheets which cover the pages and photographs are often made from PVC or another plastic which contains chlorine. Remember that PVC can break down in the presence of atmospheric moisture and produce hydrochloric acid. This is a strong acid which will cause irreversible damage to your collections.
The plastic covers on these albums are not archival-quality, and in some cases may be PVC.
Any album with plastic sleeves or plastic covers. There are tests which can be carried out to identify PVC; but they are destructive and will make you unpopular with shop owners. Instead, try smelling the album; if you detect a strong smell it could be PVC and should be avoided for use in long-term storage.
Black paper album pages. Many photograph albums have black pages; but remember that black dyes can contain sulphur which reacts irreversibly with silver and can change images. If you are looking for something for long-term storage, try to find out if the albums are archival-quality.
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