Photograph Conservation

Photograph conservation is the study of the physical care and treatment of photographic materials, including an in-depth understanding of how photographs are made, and the causes and prevention of deterioration. Conservators use this knowledge to treat photographic materials, stabilizing them from further deterioration, and sometimes restoring them for aesthetic purposes. Photograph conservation is distinguished from digital or optical restoration, which are concerned with a copy of the original image rather than the original photographic material.

While conservation can improve the appearance of a photograph, image quality is not the primary purpose of conservation. Enjoyment of the photographic image is generally enhanced by viewing a print in good condition and without disfiguring stains, tears, or other image or object deterioration. Therefore, conservators will try to improve the visual appearance of a photograph as much as possible, while also ensuring its long-term survival, and adhering to their Code of Ethics.

Connoisseurship is a field in which photograph conservators often play an important role. Their understanding of the physical object and its structure makes them uniquely suited to a technical examination of the photograph, which can reveal clues about how, when, and where it was made.