People will take more than 2 trillion pictures this year. According to a Shutterfly survey, personal pictures and images are especially important to people during the holidays.
Families look over new and old photos during gatherings, sharing stories about the events and people pictured, according to University of Delaware photo conservation expert Debbie Norris.
This exchange is one of the most important parts of photo conservation, she added. Because when it doesn't happen, their significance is forgotten.
"I receive calls from individuals who are moving out of their homes, and they've discovered boxes of photographs, often in their basement or their attic," Norris said. "And although they know they're family photographs, they have no idea who they are."
Next, is the physical preservation of photos, Norris said.
More than forty percent of respondents in Shutterfly's survey prefer personalized or photo and holiday cards. And about 20 percent of respondents planned to gift personalized photos or custom prints.
Norris said if you receive photos or handmade items and want to preserve them, it’s a good idea to use high-quality paper containers.
“Do everything possible to protect them from fluctuating temperature and humidity," she said. "Objects can be prone to mold growth if they're exposed to high humidity, such as you might find in the basement. Heat can accelerate deterioration of all different kinds of materials.”
This rule generally applies to fragile or handmade holiday decorations, she said. High quality plastic containers can also work to preserve photographs.