What Causes Photographs To Fade?

Some of the most precious and priceless family memories exist in their physical forms on small sheets of a combination of paper and plastic. Photographic prints capture the most momentous occasions in life, from your child’s first catch on a fishing trip to their graduation ceremony. Each picture allows you to vividly remember and share even the most minor memories that you’d otherwise forget.

However, photos in a physical format are vulnerable to a copious number of harmful environmental elements—even in the safety of your home. Fading and damage can lead to a tragic loss of treasured or forgotten memories. Without proper care, photographs will fail the test of time and become no more than dirty, smudged pieces of paper in your trash can. By knowing exactly what causes photographs to fade, you can protect your memories from damage so that they can survive for generations to come.

Photograph Composition and Why It Matters

Before we delve into the reasons behind photograph fading, it’s important for you to understand what makes up a photographic print and what makes it susceptible to loss of color. Photographic positives, or what you see on a print, wouldn’t exist without light. Light is the reason behind the chemical reaction that causes a picture to develop on the photographic paper. It’s also the reason your camera burns reverse images on the photo negative and, going even further, the reason you can see the world around you at all.

However, the photosensitivity of photographs is a double-edged sword when it comes to the longevity of prints. The fragile chemical composition is still vulnerable to several different factors—including light—when not properly protected.

Fading Images

As an image fades, the overall clarity of the image decreases, and there may be a lack of color. For photos without color, parts of the image may white out entirely, or the edges may blur into the background. You may also notice white spots on the print that weren’t there before.

The following elements commonly cause fading on photographs:

UV Light

One of the quickest ways to deteriorate the image on a photograph is to place it in sunlight for a while. Ultraviolet, or UV, rays interact with the chemical reactions on the surface of the photo and damage the plastic. When exposed to UV light, the molecules within the plastic that make the colors appear break down and eventually disappear, leaving you with white splotches.

Airborne Pollutants

Sunlight is the most common cause of fading, but the mix of chemicals in the air will also expediate the aging process of photographs. The constant medley of dust, aerosols, cleaners, and smoke—whether from cigarettes, fireplaces, or cooking—can cause unprotected photographs to fade and deteriorate.

Acid Damage

We don’t often think about the common household objects with high acid concentrations, and we certainly don’t consider how they could affect our photos. If you’ve ever wondered why the packaging on some of the most essential paper products says “acid-free,” it’s often due to how the products react with the chemicals in photographs. The most noticeable characteristic of fading caused by acid burns is a dull yellow color.

Your photographs can experience acid damage from:

Adhesives

Tape or glue can hold photos to surfaces for a long time—but what are the long-term side effects? The sticky material on tape or in glue will damage your photos, without question. Sticky residue not only leaves behind a gross, tacky texture on the photo but also affects the chemical composition of your photo’s coloration and causes yellowing. Whether you left a picture stuck to a wall or glued into a scrapbook, the adhesive will give you an unpleasant surprise after a long enough time: a large, faded stain where the adhesive was.

Paper

Whether you’ve printed a photo onto an acid-based paper or stored it in an acid-based paper envelope, you’re setting up the picture for rapid aging. Whenever you’re contemplating storing your photos in paper—which may not offer the most protection anyway—always check for “acid-free” on the label. Don’t let your photos turn yellow because of the wrong kind of paper.

Scrapbooks and Albums

As we mentioned earlier, scrapbooks can combine acid damage and damage from adhesives. You may notice that the pages of a scrapbook eventually turn yellow, brown, or orange as they age—this can only mean bad news for your photographs. Old magnetic scrapbooks or photo albums are also often unhealthy for photos.

Whether your albums are paper or plastic, make sure they’re acid free before you begin using them. Never use adhesive on your only copy of a photo—make another print or scan a copy to avoid losing the image forever.

Fungal Spotting

More of a photographic obstruction than a fade, fungus can cause brown splotches to dot the surface of your old photos. Typically, this happens when you store a photo in a damp or humid location. The fungus doesn’t look like much at first—it can resemble just a few splotches of dirt—but an intensely affected photo will have many brown fungal spots that fill the entire photo.

Protecting your photos from what causes photographs to fade with preventative measures can help, but the most effective way to keep them safe is with proper storage and digital backups. Store your photos in airtight, acid-free sleeves, and organize them separately from each other in a dark, dry, waterproof box. Place the box in a slightly cool, arid storage area to keep them safe.

If you’re doing your part to protect the family legacy or if you have damaged photos, your best option is to digitize them for safekeeping and repair. At DiJiFi, our media digitizing services include an option to restore your photos, no matter how damaged you think they are. Send in your photos and receive high-quality digital images from our photo experts. We tailor to the reasons you want your photos digitized in the first place. Our professionals will provide you with the services you need the most.