Professional Photographers' Society of New York State Volunteers Offer Photo Restoration Services

ALBANY, NY (11/13/2012)(readMedia)-- Volunteer members of the Professional Photographers' Society of New York State (PPSNYS) will be offering photo restoration services to those whose family photographs have been damaged by the flood waters or other impacts of Hurricane Sandy, free of charge as a public service.

"As a society of professional photographers, we understand the true importance of photographs to sustain our spirits. We work with individuals, couples, and families every day to capture these memories," said PPSNYS First Vice President Honey DeLapa. "Photo restoration is a way we can assist in the healing process for our neighbors in communities that experienced devastation from Hurricane Sandy," DeLapa continued. Professional photographers throughout New York State are volunteering their time and resources to assist families in restoring treasured memories damaged in the recent storm.

PPSNYS President, Owen Kassimir of Syosset NY stated, "Our member photographers will be working in partnership with photo labs to provide this service to families affected by the Hurricane." There will be a limit of ten images per family in order to be able to help as many victims of Hurricane Sandy as possible.

For complete program information, and a list of participating PPSNYS members, please visit www.ppsnys.com.

PPSNYS provides the following "tips" as a public service:

Tips for Keeping Water Damaged Photos Safe

• Check with family members to see if other copies of the photo exist, or even old negatives.

• Lift the photos from the mud and dirty water carefully. Remove photos from water-logged albums and separate any that are stacked together.

• If you have time and space right away, lay each wet photo face up on any clean blotting paper, such as a paper towel to blot dry.

• Begin with photographs for which there are no negatives, or for which the negatives are also water damaged.

• Photos in frames need to be saved when they are still soaking wet, otherwise the photo surface will stick to the glass as it dries and you will not be able to separate them without damage. Use a water stream to gently separate the photo from the glass. If the photo has already dried, leave it this way! Restoration professionals can scan the photo through the glass.

• Try to get to photos as soon as possible. Freezing photos will delay further damage including mildew, which can set in quickly. Also, you can stack them between wax paper to keep them from drying and sticking. Older photographs should not be frozen without first consulting a professional.

• Sending any damaged heirloom photos to a professional is recommended.

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About PPSNYS: The Professional Photographers' Society of New York State, Inc. has been serving the public for over 100 years and was formed solely to instruct its members and the public in photography and to create, foster, promote and encourage the exchange of knowledge among its members and the public. PPSNYS is a society dedicated to the advancement of photography both as a science and an art. Our members are encouraged to develop the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, business practices and customer relations.

For more information about PPSNYS, please contact PPSNYS Headquarters at (518) 434-9500 or headquarters@ppsnys.com.