Prints are an investment, which is why its important to take the best possible care of them. Here are some tips to extend the print life of your photos.
Handle Prints With Care
Take care when handling prints that you don’t bend, dent, or scratch them. Try to avoid touching the surface of the print and wash hands before handling prints to reduce the oil transferred from your fingers. Doing this will keep fingerprints from showing up on your printed photos.
Keep Prints Out of Direct Sunlight
Just like UV rays can be harmful to our skin, they can also be harmful to printed photographs. Photos hanging or placed in direct sunlight are subject to fading and discoloration. UV rays break down the molecules in the print’s dye and cause the color to fade. To extend print life, try to keep photos out of direct sunlight or using a frame with glass that blocks UV rays.
Avoid Heat and Humidity
Along with UV rays, heat and humidity can also have an impact on the life of your prints. Hot temperatures can speed up the aging process, so make sure to store your printed photos where it’s nice and cool. If you have a place in your house where you can control the humidity and temperature, that is the best place to store your images. Avoid damp basements and hot attics.
Mat Photos Before Framing Them
Moisture from the air can seep into your frame and cause your photo to stick to the glass. Because of this, the photo can tear when you try to remove the print from the frame. One way you can prevent this is to add a mat to your frame, which will add some space between the photo and the glass. If you don’t like the mat look, you can add picture frame spacers to your frame.
If you need help deciding how to display your photos, check out my blog post here or check out my Pinterest board.
If you have any questions about extending the print life of your photos, please contact me here.
