How to Write on Your Photos Safely
You’re finally sitting down to go through your old family photos with your mom. She’s identifying people you don’t know, places you’ve never been, and telling stories you’ve never heard.
You want to capture those names and places before they slip away. The easiest way to do this is to write on the back of the photo.
Let’s talk about the safe way to do it.
The gold standard we use in our office is a Stabilo-All pencil. These water-soluble wax pencils are acid-free and photo-safe, which are industry standards for keeping your photos safe and damage-free. They’re also versatile. You can write on paper, glass, plastic, film, and metal.
Here are the dos and don’ts of writing on your photos.
The Safe Way
- Use an archival photo pencil, like the Stabilo-All pencil.
- Write as gently as possible.
- Capture the 4 Ws: who, what (the event), when, and where.
The Risky Way
- Don’t use an ink pen. Ink can bleed through to the front, and wet ink can transfer and leave spots on other photos in the stack.
- Don’t use sticky notes. They’re okay for something truly temporary, like labeling a photo you’re scanning tomorrow, but adhesive is the enemy of old photos. Long-term, that note will fall off and take your information with it.
- Don’t write on the front.
- Don’t press hard. Too much pressure will show through to the front, even with the right pencil.
Those names and stories are the whole reason you’re doing this. Write them down while your mom is still sitting next to you to tell them.
If the boxes feel like more than you can handle, that’s exactly the kind of project we take off your hands. Reach out, and we’ll figure out the plan together.
About the Author
Andi Willis started Good Life Photo Solutions after searching for photos of her late father and realizing how easily a family’s memories can slip away. Now a Certified Professional Photo Organizer with more than 15 years of experience, she helps families across the country bring order to overwhelming photo chaos and preserve the stories that matter most. She works from Smithfield, Virginia.
If your own photos feel like too much to face alone, that is exactly the kind of puzzle we solve.
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