How to Properly Store Film Negatives

We respect the negative. And you should, too. Your negatives are the MVP of your images. In a digital era, when images can get lost or deteriorate in quality, storing your art in its pure, tangible form is the ultimate backup!

⁠⁠From the moment your film arrives at our door, it is in good hands. From write-up to processing to scanning, we take the utmost care with your film. After your film is processed and scanned, we hand-cut and sleeve every single roll into binder-ready, archival-quality contact sheets, labeled by roll and organized by order at no charge. ⁠⁠

So, let’s talk about how to properly store these bad boys: ⁠⁠

• Make sure your hands are dry and clean before handling negatives.⁠⁠
• Only hold negatives on the edges. Oils from your hands can damage them.
• ⁠⁠If you remove the film from its sleeving, be sure to clean the negative before placing it back in its sleeving. This will help protect the negative from scratching. ⁠⁠
• Store negatives flat (we suggest using a binder)—film warps easily. ⁠⁠
• Do not store your negatives in an attic or garage. Keep negatives in a cool, dark, dry place where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate much. Moisture can cause negatives to stick to their surroundings and temperature fluctuations can increase their rate of decay.

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