Color photographic prints came into widespread use during the 1950s. Until the 1990s, almost all color prints were made this way. These images are composed of dyes similar to those used to color some fabrics. Over the years photographic manufacturers have modified these dyes so that excellent color renditions can be obtained.
In normal practice, photographic color prints are made by first creating a negative image using a camera and color negative film. The negatives are then used to print a positive image on photographic paper. New technology has provided another option: Images can now be captured with a digital camera, and these too can be printed on photographic paper. Regardless of whether the camera that recorded the image used film or digital technology, if the image is printed using traditional photographic technology, it will usually show noticeable fading or discoloration after about fifty to one hundred years if it’s stored in the dark1—in an album, for example. If it’s exposed to light, the colors will deteriorate even more quickly. The permanence of these types of prints depends not on the recording method but on the inherent characteristics of the colorants and support materials used in producing them.
