For Immediate Release
Contact Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438
Fax (805) 568-1178
3 Clues That Your Cherished Photos Are NOT Archival!
Back in the "olden days" they had these old funky black and white photos. If you like the old family photos, they're wonderful to still have in the family history after several generations. In fact, most people would grab these photos if they had to evacuate in case of a disaster!
But guess what?!! Your technologically advanced, modern, space age digital color photos are not going to make it. Scott M. Haskins, preservation expert (www.preservationcoach.com) and author says, "Chances are they won't be around a couple of generations from now!" How can you tell?
1. Take one of your photos that you've printed at home and put it under the water faucet. Do the colors run? Chances are they fade pretty fast too. The photo is not archival.
2. Does the photo paper box you bought say the paper is acid free? No, it doesn't. That means it will yellow and become brittle. The photo is not archival.
3. Are you counting on your photos, that you have stored on a CD or hard drive, to last? Think again… the software to open those photos won't work anymore in 5 – 10 years. And you have so many, that you won't bother going through the extra effort to convert them all. So, they'll be lost
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But here are some suggestions.
1. Laser prints on acid free high quality photo paper are archival. You can have them printed at specialty photo centers
2. Use photo page protectors to store them. These will last longer than the CD or hard drive. You can keep them in a 3 ring binder.
3. Copy and reformat your hard drives and CD (conversions) at least every 5 years. And make multiple copies while you are at it. Right now, it's the only way.
Scott M. Haskins is the author of "How to Save Your Stuff from a Disaster," (www.saveyourstuff.com) a non-technical book with instructions on how to protect and save your family history, heirlooms and memorabilia. He consults with people nationally on innumerable disaster situations. He works with the general public, historical societies, museums, corporations, private collectors, art galleries, state governments and the federal government. He is an expert witness in the Los Angeles Supreme Court system and on the part of the federal government regarding public art issues. He has done consultation work for Pope John Paul's family, the Shroud of Turin project and the Getty Conservation Institute among many others. He also wrote a booklet on "How To Respond After An Earthquake" of which over 500,000 were distributed by the Bank of America Corp. after the Northridge Earthquake, in Los Angeles.