Can Your Photos Take the Heat?

It's getting awfully hot out there, folks. Humid, too. Time for a quick refresher on caring for and storing your photography—whether fine art photos like this Isaac Hayes shot by Ernest Withers or prized family shots—in our notoriously balmy climate.

1. Know Your Enemies

The biggest threats to photographs are sunlight, fluctuations in temperature, and fluctuations in humidity. When displaying photographs, be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight (even those not exposed to direct sunlight are susceptible to fading over time). It's best to rotate your photographs on view to allow periodic breaks from light exposure.

Maintaining a stable environment is the best way to protect your photographs. For museum standards, this means a temperature between 68 and 72 degrees with a relative humidity between 45 and 55 percent. Most of our homes are a bit warmer than 72 degrees, and who knows the relative humidity of their home? But that's okay. The key is the stable temp and relative climate control. This means no photographs in the attic, basement, or stuffy closets.

2. Give Photographs a Good Home

The second key to preserving photographs is proper storage. All too often, photos sustain damage from storage in acidic materials. If you purchase a vintage photograph in an old mat, remove the mat right away. Go to a reputable frame shop and have the photograph re-matted using acid-free materials. When storing photographs in boxes, folders, or sleeves, make sure all materials are acid-free. If stacking photographs in a box, layer acid-free tissue paper between each photo. Also, exercise care when handling photographs. It is best to wear white cotton gloves to prevent transfering oils from your hands to the photograph. If gloves are not available, be sure to wash and thoroughly dry hands before handling photographs.

3. Keep Good Records

It's also a good idea to identify your photographs. For fine art photography, record as much information as possible: the title, date, photographer, location, provenance (a record of previous owners), and any other information relevant to the work. For family photos, list the names, location, and date on the reverse of the image using a soft lead pencil. Your kids and grandkids will thank you one day.

4. Lean on Experts

When in doubt, seek the advice of an expert. Museums, galleries, and historical societies are your best resources for the proper care and storage of photographs. Most are very willing to offer guidance to collectors. And if you own a photograph that has sustained damage, these sources can refer you to a paper conservator qualified to treat your photograph. But if you follow these guidelines, you will likely never find yourself in that situation.

(Isaac Hayes photo by Ernest Withers)