Polaroid Photos

Hi. I am wanting to scrapbook some old Polaroid photos from about 25 years ago. Does anyone know if I can take the back off the pictures? The photo itself has a white border, but the back is entirely black, and can be removed. I'm worried that if I remove the backing, that the photo might totally fade in time, and I will be left with nothing.

Can anyone give me advice re using Polaroid pictures?

Thanks.

I am not sure about taking the backing off, but I do know that you should never cut a polaroid photo. You should also never use elmers glue on the back, it bleeds through and ruins the image(I wish my mom would have known that when she put together my baby book 20 years ago).

What is the purpose of taking off the backing, if I may ask?

I think you could work the fact that it's a polaroid into the theme, with out having to dismantle the photo, and it will look great!

I would reccommend scanning the polaroids because they do have a tendancy to fade terribly. You could print them out and use the copies on your layouts.

Just a thought

I would second the suggestion of scanning and having copies printed. I did some of mine and they turned out great.

I have also heard that you're not supposed to tamper with Polaroids in any way. I don't have much experience with them personally, but it's just what I'm heard. HTH.

Take it from MY personal experience. DO NOT cut up the photo. The wide part of the frame contains chemicals. After 20 years it is more than likely to be dried out, but the problem was it makes the photo almost see through. Just work it into the LO that this is how it was done in the OLD DAYS of speedy photography. Plus you don't have a negative to get it copied. So DON"T DON"T DON"T.

I scanned all of mine in because I don't like the white border and I could crop them. PLUS, I could fix the coloring a little bit more and they turn out really decent that way.

I agree with scanning it. Some photo places will make copies from a print as well. It may cost more than a regular reprint but I think you get a negative back too (I could be wrong about that part but I know that's how it used to be).

If you separate the backing the picture will stay on the transparent part and the black backing will have a muted version. The photo will look weird, you don't want to separate it. You could also put frames around the polaroids so that they blend or stand out as much as you want. But DON'T separate the films.

Great question and wonderful suggestions!!
I have been going thu some old photos and lots of these as well.
I think I am going to scan mine too....

I have cropped mine with no problem. And according to the Polaroid website you can crop your Polaroid pictures. If you'd like the link to where I found this information, Please PM me.

I guess it's personal preference if you want to crop them or not.

Thank you so much for all the replies!

The polaroid photos are of my son's first bath (25 years ago) and I would be so upset if I ruined them all. I think to be safe I will scan a couple, use a couple unaltered, and crop a couple. lol Covering all my bases.

Thanks again.