ALERT! You have precious photos that hold fond memories, special captured moments, and friends/relatives that you love dearly...and they are at risk for fading.
Now that I have your attention, let’s get straight to the point. Life comes with wear and tear, which means objects can get worn, broken, or fade away. In this case, we are specifically talking about pictures. We know you have them. We all do. Bins, folders, scrapbooks full of images. And today is the day where we clean out those bins and save those images!
So, what are some tips to keeping your images fresh and fading free? Here are the four best ways to stop your pictures from fading.
Acid Free Archival Paper
What is archival paper and how would it protect my photos? Acid free papers are made using alkaline papermaking technology. This means the pH of the pulp that is used to form the paper is about neutral. The paper is also buffered with an alkaline reserve, such as calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid compounds absorbed from the atmosphere or formed through natural aging.
Temperature Controlled Storage
One quick and easy way to prevent your images from fading is to purchase temperature controlled / protected storage bigs. Both hot and cold temperatures can easily damage your photos, especially if moisture is present in your current storage. Heat will cause mold and fading of your images, freezing temperatures can cause faded spots and deterioration of your photos. So, be careful! You can store your photos safely in a well sealed storage container AND in a safe location.
Glass Frames
If you have favorite family photos that need to be protected, purchase a glass frame and seal them up! Glass frames protect the quality of the image from dust, animals, moisture, etc. and it looks great hung in your home! One tip with framing your photos and using your images for decoration: Beware of the sun. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, I know, but sun damage can actually cause your pictures to fade very quickly. That said, glass frames are great for keeping your photos in their prime, just make sure it’s not in front of the sun.
Digitize Your Photos
Now, this might be the easiest way to keep your images from fading AND you’ll be able to keep them forever so that nothing can take your images away. When you digitize your photos, not only are you saving them for generations to come, but now you can share images with family and friends in just one click! Your images can also be printed again and again...now onto canvas, textured paper, onto t-shirts...all because you had them digitized safely. Your images will be protected and stored safely on your computer, thumb drive, or CD through Southtree! Send in your family photos and you’ll receive all of your originals back, plus your digital copies. Easy, stress free, and will be the easiest decision you’ve ever made.
Save your images now before it’s too late. Your memories are priceless and deserve to be relived again and again.
