Caring for Your Photographs

We came across some helpful tips from the National Trust's photographic materials adviser that we thought would be useful guidance for our customers:

• Try to avoid touching the front of photographs because the natural oils in your fingertips can leave permanent marks. Hold a photograph by its edges instead.
• Have copies of your most previous photographs made for display and store the originals in a cool, dark place or in an acid-free box.
• Avoid placing photographs in direct light, near heat sources or potentially dusty areas such as working fireplaces.
• Use glazed frames to display prints rather than keeping them out loose.
• Avoid using 'magnetic' albums with sticky pages intended to hold prints in place. The adhesives are a source of pollutants that will cause damage. Choose good quality albumns with acid-free paper pages.
• To attach photographs, use photo-corners that are adhered only to the album page rather than those which are attached diretly to the photographs.
• Remember to label photographs on their enclosures or on album pages so that future generations are able to identify and enjoy them!

Our product range can help you further protect your images:

1. Firstly, another way to help ensure the longevity of your prints, is to use top quality materials in the first place. All our photographic prints are printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper which provides:

• "Unrivalled image permanence.
• Brilliant colour reproduction with accurate colour rendition and smooth tones.
• Brilliant highlights and outstanding whites.
• Enhanced sharpness with excellent definition.
• Processing stability."

2. Also, we certainly agree with keeping two versions of your images - e.g. digital and physical, or two copies of the physical prints, for safekeeping. Ideally these should not be stored in the same location in case of fire. We practice what we preach: once we've taken your pictures, we immediately make two digital backups. Once we've processed them and uploaded them to our website, we also automatically make two further backups on our archive networked storage devices.

3. We offer a beautiful range of frames which are only available to professional photographers. These include the option to use conservation glass. This is identical in appearance to standard glass, but has a UV coating on one side of the glass, which prevents harmful UV rays from passing through to the artwork. As a result, the artwork is preserved from light damage for longer. Normal glass will reflect about 50% of UV light, whereas Conservation Glass reflects 98%.
Ask use about this when you place your order.

For further advice on looking after your photos, consult the National Trust's Manual of Housekeeping or a professional conservator via www.conservationregister.com