Articles

Interview with Dr. Adelstein: Is it harmful to display my photos?

Dr. Peter Adelstein

We are glad to introduce a new series of articles that will contain short interviews by Dr. Peter Adelstein. Each interview will address some aspect of photo preservation.

Dr. Adelstein retired from Eastman Kodak Company after 37 years and then joined IPI in 1985. He is a well-known, worldwide expert in the permanence of photographic materials. For the past 25 years he has also been chairman of ANSI and ISO committees dealing with the permanence of imaging media. In 1998 he was awarded the Fuji Gold Medal by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and in 2003 he was recognized by the International Imaging Industry Association for his contributions to international standards.

Is it harmful to display my photos?

Question (Q): I take many family photos, and I want to frame some and hang them on the wall. Will this harm them?

Answer (A): You raised a critical question. The reason photos are taken is for viewing and enjoyment. However, photos are never as long-lasting when displayed as when they are stored in the dark, such as in albums, and viewed only occasionally.

Q: Why do color pictures deteriorate when displayed?

A: The prime reason is the effect of light. The more intense the light, the greater the color change. Also the characteristics of the light are critical. Sunlight is more harmful than fluorescent light, so displaying photos near a bright window is not recommended.

Q: What form does the color change take?

A: The print can fade overall, shift in color, or the paper can yellow.

Q: Is light the only reason for fading?

A: No. Displayed pictures frequently are subjected to high humidities which is also bad. They can also be damaged by air pollution. This, of course, can be a much greater factor in urban areas than in rural communities.

Q: A very common way pictures are shown is on the doors of refrigerators. I assume that this is bad, bad, bad!

A: You hit the nail on the head. Such photos are not only exposed to light but also to the heat, humidity and possible air contaminants in the kitchen. However, I recognize that refrigerator doors are a very convenient and accessible way of showing family photos. Just be sure that the photo you hang on the fridge isn’t the only copy.

Q: You explained the problem. Is there any solution?

A: The ideal situation is to make duplicate pictures, one for display and one for keeping in the dark. If the pictures are kept in a frame, cover it with glass or plastic preferably with a UV protective coating. That will block out most of the harmful light. Framing with glass or plastic will also minimize humidity changes in the print itself. Also avoid placing the framed picture near a window where the light levels are higher. It is important to know what to expect when color photographs are displayed. You must balance the enjoyment offered by display against the permanence offered by dark storage.