Understanding Photo Damage: A Visual Guide to Common Issues

Not all photo damage is created equal. Understanding what type of deterioration you're seeing helps determine the best restoration approach and sets realistic expectations for results. Here's a comprehensive guide to the most common types of photo damage we encounter.

Age-Related Damage

Fading and Color Shifts

What it looks like: Colors appear washed out, with reds often turning magenta and yellows becoming more prominent.

Causes: Chemical breakdown of color dyes, UV light exposure, and natural aging of photo papers.

Restoration potential: Excellent. Color fading is one of the most successfully restored types of damage.

Yellowing and Brown Spots

What it looks like: Overall yellow or brown cast, or isolated brown spots across the image.

Causes: Oxidation of photo chemicals, poor storage conditions, or contamination from acidic materials.

Restoration potential: Good to excellent, depending on severity.

Physical Damage

Tears and Rips

What it looks like: Clean or jagged breaks in the photo surface, sometimes with missing pieces.

Causes: Mishandling, accidents, or deterioration of brittle photo paper.

Restoration potential: Excellent for clean tears, good for complex rips, challenging if pieces are missing.

Creases and Fold Lines

What it looks like: White or dark lines where the photo has been bent or folded.

Causes: Improper storage, handling, or attempting to fit photos into frames or albums.

Restoration potential: Excellent in most cases.

Scratches and Surface Damage

What it looks like: Fine lines or gouges in the photo surface, sometimes exposing white paper underneath.

Causes: Abrasion from other photos, rough handling, or storage in unsuitable materials.

Restoration potential: Good to excellent for surface scratches, more challenging for deep gouges.

Environmental Damage

Water Damage

What it looks like: Staining, warping, emulsion separation, or stuck-together photos.

Causes: Flooding, leaky storage areas, or high humidity conditions.

Restoration potential: Varies widely. Surface staining restores well, but severe emulsion damage can be challenging.

Important: If photos are currently wet, professional conservation treatment should begin immediately.

Fire and Smoke Damage

What it looks like: Charred edges, overall discoloration, or a brownish haze across the image.

Causes: Direct fire exposure or prolonged smoke exposure.

Restoration potential: Moderate to good, depending on extent of damage. Even severely damaged photos often contain recoverable image information.

Mold and Mildew

What it looks like: Fuzzy growth, purple or black spots, or a musty odor.

Causes: Extended exposure to moisture and poor air circulation.

Restoration potential: Good for staining removal, but physical damage from mold may be permanent.

Chemical Damage

Silver Mirroring

What it looks like: Metallic, mirror-like patches on black and white photos.

Causes: Chemical breakdown of silver particles in the photo emulsion.

Restoration potential: Moderate. The underlying image information may still be recoverable.

Adhesive Damage

What it looks like: Yellow or brown staining, stuck album pages, or residue on photo surfaces.

Causes: Poor-quality photo albums, magnetic albums, or acidic mounting materials.

Restoration potential: Good for staining, challenging if emulsion has been damaged.

Need help identifying the type of damage on your photos? Contact RepairPictures for a free assessment and expert advice.