Caring for Photographs

What happens to photographs and digital prints when they are not stored in Creative Memories albums? A. Photographs and digital prints displayed in a frame or on a refrigerator are vulnerable to light-induced fading. This generally causes a shift in the color balance of the image. Prints may also be susceptible to ozone and other pollutants in the environment. A Creative Memories album protects prints from light, air pollution and physical damage. Plus, journaling in a Creative Memories album will ensure that future generations learn the stories represented in the photographs.

How do I remove my photographs from a magnetic album? To safely remove stuck-on photographs from magnetic albums, we recommend the Multi-Purpose Tool. Slide the Multi-Purpose Tool under the edge of the photograph and work it along the sides. If the photograph does not come off, dental floss may help. Slide the floss under a corner of the photograph and work it down through to the other side in a sawing motion.

If neither of these tools proves effective, try a hairdryer. Set the hairdryer on low-heat, hold it about five inches above the photograph. While heating the photograph, keep the nozzle of the hairdryer moving so as to not overheat one portion of the photograph. At 20-second intervals, test the photograph to see if it has loosened from the page. Continue applying heat until the photograph has completely separated from the page. We do not recommend liquid adhesive removers because of the potential toxicity and flammability of these products (as is noted on the label of the product itself!).

Your photographs may retain some residue from the magnetic album adhesive. Use a Pick-Up Square to rub the residue off the back of the photograph. There may be times when nothing works to remove photographs from magnetic album pages. In that case, it is best to either scan the photographs yourself or bring the album to a professional photo lab for reprinting.

What is the natural lifespan of photographs? A traditional color photograph, if stored properly under reasonable room temperature conditions of 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less with 20 to 50 percent relative humidity, and if stored in a photo-safe environment, will typically have a lifespan of 50 to 100 years. Black-and-white photographs, if stored in similar conditions, will typically have a lifespan of 100-plus years.

These numbers are approximations of when it can reasonably be expected for a photograph to show signs of discoloration and/or fading, not the time that the photographic will disappear completely.

Can I crop my Polaroid photographs? As of March of 2003, Polaroid's Web site was recommending that customers not crop Polaroid prints due to the hazards of the alkali contained in Polaroid prints. Their statement about alkali: "Eye contact may cause permanent eye damage. Skin and such contact may cause irritation or burns." In October 2003, coinciding with an article about Polaroids in a popular scrapbooking publication, Polaroid's Web site said it was OK to crop Polaroid prints. They did not, however, provide any supporting evidence to back up their claim, and their Material Safety Data Sheets still lists alkali as one of the hazardous chemicals contained in Polaroid prints.

At this time, the Technology Center has determined that it is up to Polaroid to conduct its own safety tests and to provide the public with supporting data to show that cropping Polaroids is NOT dangerous to both the photograph and the consumer.

Until they conduct their own testing and provide the public with scientific data supporting their claims, Creative Memories DOES NOT endorse cropping Polaroid photographs.

Is it safe to overlap photographs on my album page? It is perfectly safe to overlap photographs as long as they are modern, traditional prints.

The two types of photographs you may not want to overlap are: • Heritage photographs – They are harder to replace should you want to reprint the photograph at a later date. • Inkjet prints – Inkjet prints made on Creative Memories Photo Paper have tested to last as long as traditional prints. Inkjet Photo Paper is acid-free, lignin-free and buffered, and is perfectly safe to store in your albums. However, the inks in the majority of inkjet printers are dye-based and water-soluble. Therefore, in the case of increased humidity, it is possible for the ink in inkjet prints to migrate from the papers.

My photographs are stuck together! How do I get them apart? Photographs become stuck together due to moisture forming on the emulsion layer. When exposed to moisture this emulsion layer becomes tacky, and once allowed to dry the photographs will adhere themselves to each other

To separate the photographs, we would first recommend that no attempt be made to peel the photographs apart. Rather, we would recommend soaking the photographs in (specifically) cold, distilled water for a short period of time (five minutes or so) to allow moisture to be re-introduced to the emulsion. After the photographs have been soaking for several minutes you may attempt to separate them, first by testing one of the edges to see if they peel apart freely. If they do not peel apart easily, continue to soak the photographs and check on them periodically, performing the same peel test on the edge. We would recommend that care be taken during this procedure, that gloves be worn, and that the photographs be handled by the edges only.

Once the photographs have been separated from each other, they should be laid on a flat and dry surface in a temperate environment and allowed to dry completely before being further handled.

My framed photograph is stuck to glass! How do I get it off? Photographs become stuck on glass due to moisture forming between the emulsion layer of the photograph and the glass. When exposed to moisture the emulsion layer of the photograph becomes tacky, and once dry the photograph will be permanently adhered to the glass. Unfortunately, we can make no recommendations for the removal of the photograph from the glass without risking irreversible damage to the photograph.

If a negative of the print still exists, we would recommend making a reprint from the negative. If no negative exists, consider scanning the photograph so that a new print can be made.

Can I use a stamp to date the back of my photograph? The Creative Memories Photo Labeling Pencils are tested and proven to be photo-safe. They will not bleed chemicals or colors through your photographs. We, of course, cannot say for certainty that the inks used with stamps are either good or bad – their compatibility with photographs would need to be confirmed with the manufacturer.

Can I use my Creative Memories pens to write on my photographs? Creative Memories pens are acid-free, pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT) and are fade-resistant and bleed-resistant. They use pigmented inks that allow for greater stability and permanence. Although designed for album-making, the decision to write on photographs with Creative Memories pens is a personal decision the owner must make.

Test results with Creative Memories pens have been inconsistent. Generally, we have found that pen clogging and drying up may occur. We also have found that the pen ink may not absorb fully or at all into the photograph, and the ink may smear. The ink that does get absorbed may actually start to show through the front of the photograph over time. Ink may also transfer to adjacent photographs.

Because our pens were not designed for use as a photo-labeling product, we can in no way guarantee the long-term performance of the pens when used in this capacity.

How do I flatten a photograph that has curled? To uncurl traditional resin-coated (RC) prints we recommend first performing a “bend test” on the corner of the photograph to ascertain if the emulsion (front) layer of the photograph is dry and brittle. If the emulsion layer cracks when the bend test is performed, we recommend taking the photograph into a photo professional in your area for further handling and reprinting.

If the emulsion layer of the photograph does not crack and appears to be pliable, you may then attempt the “book stack” method of flattening the photograph.

To perform the book stack method, place the photograph between two white Creative Memories album pages with a heavy book on top of the pages. The stack should then be placed in a humid environment, like a bathroom or near a humidifier. Leave the stack in the humid environment for about 24 hours. The stack should be removed from the humid environment after this 24-hour period and allowed to stand in a temperate environment for another 24 hours, allowing the photograph to dry flat within the stack.

If you find that the photograph continues to curl after this 48-hour period, we would recommend taking the photograph to a photo professional in your area for reprinting.

What does acid do to a photograph? Acidic materials react with photographs and cause them to prematurely deteriorate. Acidic materials will generally cause discoloration or fading. However, it can also make photographs brittle and therefore highly susceptible to other contaminants that cause deterioration.

What is lignin and what does it do to paper? Lignin is a natural substance found in wood pulp that gives wood its rigidity. Without lignin, a tree would not stand upright but would bend like rubber. Lignin is also what causes paper to turn yellow or to become brittle over time, like an old newspaper. Unlike acids, lignin cannot be neutralized.