The mistakes that damage old photographs faster than time does
Old photographs are surprisingly resilient. What kills them, almost always, is well-meaning handling.
5 min read
If a photograph has survived from 1935 to today, it will probably survive another 90 years — unless someone tries to look after it. Almost all serious damage to family photographs happens during handling, not during storage.
1. Sticky-back photo albums
The magnetic albums popular from the 1960s to the 1980s are one of the worst inventions in the history of family history. The glue yellows, the acetate sheets crack, and the photographs bond permanently to the page. If you have them, don't try to peel photographs out — scan through the sheet, or send them to someone who can remove them safely.
2. Writing on the back with ballpoint
Ballpoint ink is oily and pressure-sensitive. It bleeds through thin prints and leaves a dented negative image on the front. Use a soft pencil (2B or softer), and only along the very edge.
3. Bulldog clips and paper clips
Rust marks are permanent. Any metal touching a photograph will eventually leave a stain.
4. Rubber bands
Perish, off-gas, and eventually fuse to whatever they're around. Never use them near photographs.
5. Sunlight, even briefly
A photograph left in a sunny window for a fortnight can fade more than one in a drawer for fifty years.
Trusted with family archives
Umberdosh Restoration
We digitise family collections by hand from a home studio in Cambridgeshire — archival-grade scans, originals returned tracked and insured, and a fixed rate card so you know exactly what you're paying for.
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