What are some tips to protect photographs of your creative family beach vacations?

To Protect photographs of your creative family beach vacations need not be a difficult process. You just need to be aware of what causes the damage, and a few simple precautions that you need to take.

Avoid Extremes
To start with, it's important to know what are the major culprits in the destruction of photographs. The surrounding environment, such as temperature, humidity, and sunlight, affect photographs more than any other factor. Photographs do not like fluctuations in extreme, such as going from cold to hot very quickly...as would occur in the attic of a house. Additional major factors are dust, dirt, and oil from human fingers.

Where to Store Them...
So, we already know that the attic is the worst possible place to store your photos, so what is the best location to protect photographs? The best place is an area in which you have a consistent temperature, say between 65-70 degrees, and 50% relative humidity. Good choices are a safety deposit box at a bank, or a temperature controlled storage unit. A basement is also a suitable choice if you have a dehumidifier...but watch out for insects and rodents...they love to eat photos!

How to Handle Them...
When you handle photos, be aware of the oils that exist on your fingertips. Wear cotton gloves to keep these oils away from your photos. They are available at fine photo supply stores.

Writing on Them...
If you must write on photos, use a pen or pencil specifically made for this purpose. A regular pen is fine for paper, but not for your fine collectibles.

Sunlight
Sunlight can also damage your photographs, but displaying them in a frame, or on the wall, is one of life's little pleasures. If you must display your photos in this fashion, display a copy. Keep your originals in a safe place so they can provide you with years of pleasure with their original beauty.

What to Avoid
Remember...glue, paper clips, and rubber bands can also damage the surface of your photos. Avoid them.

Photo Albums
A photo album equipped with non-acid paper is ideal to store your photos long term. This format will also help to keep sun and dirt and dust away from your valuable photographic record.

Follow these few tips to protect photographs from your creative family beach vacations, and enjoy their memories for years and years to come.

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