Disaster

[Bill DiPietra]

Hello all. I know this will seem rather trite consider the many people who have either lost their lives or homes due to Hurricane Sandy, so forgive me if this appears at all indelicate.

 

The basement of my home in Howard Beach, Queens was completely flooded. My mom and I made it upstairs just in time and our house is still standing.

 

However, my basement is where I stored all my film stuff. Luckily, my Arriflex was not down there.

 

I retrieved my binder full of 35mm black & white still photography negatives just now and they look to be somewhat salvageable. So I am asking everyone and anyone on this board, what the best cleaning procedure would be for me to use on them. Please help.

 

Thanks and I hope everyone else is okay.

[Alessandro Machi]

A good news story from the east coast is not trite.

 

I have mistakenly left some negatives outside in a box when it has rained. All I can suggest is if you are able to carefully remove them from their sleeve, assuming the sleeve is moist or worst, I assume you will get a better result than letting them fester in that environment.

 

If you are afraid that trying to take them out will result in part of the negative sticking to the wet sleeve, maybe consider punching small holes through the sleeve but not the negatives so that they can at least air out. I'm not basing my answer on anything other than what I experienced.

 

I lost some really cool BW production polaroids that got rain damaged, so I hope you can preserve your stuff.

[Marc Roessler]

most important: if the negs are dirty, don't let them dry. Keep them wet until you can clean them! I suggest to re-wash them (with de-ionised water and some Photoflo) and let them dry. Bent paperclips are a great way to hang the strips (hooking into the perforations).

[Alan Duckworth]

AMIA has posted this today:

 

 

"Our thoughts are with our friends and colleagues on the East Coast as they cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

 

A list of resources put together by Audiovisual Preservation Solutions, Spec Bros., Mick Newnham and other AMIA members can be found on the AMIA site, as well as guidelines for First Actions for Film, Tape and Discs, available in html as well as .pdf download."

 

http://www.amianet.org/resources/resources-disaster.php

 

 

I feel for you, hope you can salvage your negs,

 

Alan

[Bill DiPietra]

Thanks, everyone.