Handling Photographic Materials

Father Christmas surrounded by children, black and white photograph, 1930–1939

Photographic materials are highly vulnerable to damage from poor handling. The image layer is fragile and may appear on a variety of supports such as paper, metal, glass, plastic and textiles. Each layer is vulnerable to damage.

Photographs are layered objects: the image layer sits on top of a binder (in some cases) and then a support layer

Following the good handling practice below ensures each layer is protected from any further damage and helps ensure their long term preservation.

• Always wear close fitting nitrile gloves when handling. The oils from hands will damage the image area, leave fingerprints and corrode metal supports. Cotton gloves can be slippery when handling glass and may snag flaking emulsion.

Handling a glass plate negative in a ‘L’ shape using nitrile gloves

• Avoid touching the image area
• Always handle by two opposite edges at the same time using both hands. Never handle by just one edge or corner
• Keep photographs flat when viewing, lifting and carrying
• Always use a rigid support or tray when moving, especially if fragile, brittle or broken.
• Do not attempt to flatten rolled or curled prints or photographic negatives on film, they may crack and tear. Contact Collection Care for assistance.
• Do not use adhesive tapes, staples, pins, metal paper clips or rubber bands to secure loose photographs

Photographic Materials in Cases and Metal Supports

Portrait of a Young Girl, daguerreotype, by Antoine Claudet, 1797–1867

• Keep the case closed when moving or lifting. Leather, paper or cloth hinges of cases are the weakest point and may be torn or detached.
• Avoid handling or lifting photographic lockets or jewellery by their chains, it may be fragile and break.

Photographic Negatives on Film

• Keep film in its protective sleeve. If film must be directly handled, handle film only by the edge with gloves. Do not touch the face of the film.
• Remove envelopes from negatives and not vice versa.
• Never hold film up to the light, keep flat.
• Film should not be folded, rolled or left unprotected.
• Sticky film: If negatives on film appear to be stuck together or stuck to its sleeve, do not attempt to remove it. Contact Collection Care for assistance.
• If it smells, Contact Collection Care immediately. A smell is a sign of deterioration and off-gassing: a serious fire hazard and danger to nearby collections.

Glass Plate Negatives and Lantern Slides

China Farming Rice Fields Planted Out, lantern slide

• Never hold glass plates or lantern slides up to the light to view.
• View one at a time, emulsion side up.
• Never stack the plates as this can damage the emulsion
• Avoid placing pressure on the plate, or resting anything on top

Images reproduced with the permission of The John Rylands University Librarian and Director of the University of Manchester Library. All images used on this page are licenced via CC-BY-NC-SA, for further information about each image, please follow the link in the description.

If you are interested in using any material from Special Collections please get in contact with our Reading Room staff : uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk

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