conservation photography – 5 steps to save your old photos

Conservation photography | How to save your old photos and how to begin a preservation program of photographs?

Conservation photography – The photographs are an important testimony and an invaluable historical source. They reveal important moments, but also the lifestyles, habits, clothing, and hairstyles of past decades.

However, in order to preserve photographs as historical documents, we must view them as objects with their own intrinsic characteristics and subject to degradation processes.

Get to know the online course Preventive Conservation of Photography.

Conservation Photography

Kerr photographic archive

Conservation photography

Mankind has produced images from the time of the painted caves to our days. The invention of photography allowed for the creation of more realistic and objective images, and all in fractions of seconds.

Used as a means of expression and communication of personal and social nature, photography has ranged between hobby and profession. Regardless of the context of its production, it touches our lives in various forms, promoting emotions and sensations and registering unique historical and social moments.

Because its nature is intrinsically linked to the concept of memory (singular or collective), it lies in us the responsibility to preserve the photographic prints in the best way possible, ensuring also to preserve the memories contained therein.

What is a photography

Apart from being an image, a photograph is a palpable object, which occupies a place in space and requires specific attention, through its physical and chemical composition and the weaknesses that this may entail.

Phenomena in Photographs that look like damage. Read the post

Thus, conservation photography and the preservation and organization of a photographic archive will depend on several factors, including the nature and destination of the collection and the use proposed for it.

Conservation photography – 5 steps

Next, we will analyze five steps for photograph conservation, or rather, the big questions we should ask ourselves before starting a conservation program.

1 – What we define as a photograph

The processes involved in its production and the various types one may find and respective differences.

Due to their diversity and structural complexity, as well as their chemical composition, photographs become very unstable and are sensitive to various environmental factors.

2 – know the main deterioration factors of the different types of photographs.

Only then we can adopt the appropriate measures to each specific case

3 – Environmental and pest control

is a fundamental stage of the conservation process, as inadequate environmental conditions and pest infestations may damage our photographic collections.

4 – How to handle our photographs and which are the best ways of packaging and storing

The way you handle an old photo and the type of packaging you use to store it can be decisive in its preservation and longevity.

5 – Which are the stages for developing a proper preservation program and which methods should be employed for each type of photographic collection.

Learn how to develop and maintain a preservation program for the photographic collections

Preventive conservation of photography – Online course

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Learning Objectives

◌ Recognise and distinguish the concepts of preservation, conservation photography and restoration.

https://en.citaliarestauro.com/product/conservation-of-photography/◌ Identify and recognise the structure of a photograph (within its different types).

◌ Identify and recognise the most commonly found types of photographs.

◌ Recognise the main factors of common deterioration of photography.

◌ Apply a program destined to control environment and pest infestations.

◌ Recognise the practice of handling procedures and identify the more suitable storage systems for each type of photograph.

◌ Develop and maintain a conservation photography preservation program for the photographic collection, suited to the types of photographs to which it is destined.