Some people think that the photos you print at home won’t
last as long as those printed at the photo lab. The truth is, when
you use the right supplies—those designed specifically for your
printer—your pictures can last even longer than traditional
lab-processed photos.
No matter how your photos are printed, they’re subject to environmental
conditions—such as light and humidity—that can cause wear
and fading. Here's what you can do to protect your treasured memories,
so they’ll remain brilliant for years to come.
It starts
with HP original supplies
Use papers and inks designed specifically for your
HP printer. The
supplies created at HP labs are made with the best ingredients in
the world, and they’re formulated specifically to work with
HP printers.
For photos that last over 100 years1,
use HP’s best paper: HP
Premium Plus photo paper. There are six special layers in
each piece of HP Premium Plus paper. Each layer has a special
job—from controlling ink absorption to building a moisture
barrier to creating a smooth, glossy photo surface.
HP invests in thousands of hours of testing its products at Wilhelm
Imaging Research, the industry standard for fade-resistance testing.
Tests show that when using the latest HP inkjet print cartridges,
photos printed on HP Premium Plus photo paper resist light fading
more than twice as long as photo lab-processed color photos.
Learn more about Wilhelm
testing on HP Premium Plus photo paper.
Quick Tip: After printing, make sure your
photos are completely dry before stacking them, or they might stick
together. Many new products offer quick-drying prints, but it
can't hurt to let them sit as long as 24 hours just to be on the safe
side.
Storing and displaying photos
When storing your
prints, be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight and humid rooms,
such as basements or bathrooms, and away from intense heat. Cool,
dry, and dark are the ideal conditions for long-term photo storage.
Prints stored in an album last longer than those in frames, but
avoid albums with self-stick, "magnetic" pages and PVC plastic
overlays. These albums cause rapid fading and discoloration. Instead,
look for albums that are acid- and lignin-free. These chemicals can
yellow and damage pictures.
If you want to display your photos, put them in frames under glass,
preferably with an anti-UV coating. Aluminum frames are ideal,
as they are lightweight and are not affected by humidity. Be
sure to put an acid-free mat between the frame and the photo to prevent
your prints from sticking to the glass over time.
Read more about archival-quality and preserving
photo prints.
Making a digital archive
Another way to preserve
your photo memories is by creating a digital archive of your prints.
Your digital photo files, if stored correctly, will remain in excellent
condition.
DVD is the best option because each disc holds 4.7GB of data,
which translates to more than 15,000 high-quality pictures. That’s
about seven times the capacity of a CD. And HP’s innovative
double-layer recording technology lets you use double-layer DVDs
to record almost twice as much data as you can on single-layer
DVDs.
Remember: Even though digital information isn't subject to fading,
you could lose your images if the disk becomes damaged. Don't
count on being able to just drop your disc of digital images into
a box somewhere and forget about it, or you may lose your treasured
memories forever. Create a schedule so you back up your images frequently.
That way, if one disc is damaged, you won’t lose your entire
photo archive.
Learn more by reading Storing
digital photos and Transferring
photos to DVD.
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