Why do color photos fade over time?

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Why do old photos lose color over time? Is it because they get damaged by air, kind of like metal getting corroded?

In: Chemistry

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Yes you almost answered your own question. But it’s not the air it’s the light in the air. Photos are made by exposing paper soaked in special chemicals to different light waves. Those chemicals change color when different light hits them from the film negative. After the chemicals dry they sort of “lock in” the color. But over time as people look at the photos, the light still affects the chemicals a tiny little bit. And after many years that adds up to a lot of fading.

Anonymous 0 Comments

This is because the UV light affects the chemical makeup of the picture. The ink that is used to print these photographs contains a light absorbing body called chromophores. When any amount of light is absorbed by these compounds, the UV rays in that light break down the chemical bond of the picture dye, causing the colors to fade away. Various toxins and pollutants in your home and surroundings are not just damaging for your pictures. Household chemicals, second hand smoke and dust can damage the chemical composition of your pictures and cause fading, stains and even abrasions on your photographs. This is why it is important to keep your pictures away from the fireplace or any open windows.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Not all inks are resistant to fading when exposed to UV light and oxygen. It’s likely that older inks might not have been considered for this quality instead choosing whatever was most convenient to get the process started.

Modern pigments are judged on an absolute scale of how lightfast they are with the information available online. Often the most vibrant inks are also not very lightfast