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From identifying historic photographs to creating salted paper prints, participants in a California Rare Book School (CalRBS) workshop explored photographic processes firsthand while learning the fundamentals of photograph preservation.
Held August 3–7, 2026, the History, Identification, and Preservation of Photographic Materials(opens in a new tab) workshop was led by photograph conservator Gawain Weaver, with support from UCLA Library book & paper conservator Nicole Alvarado. Participants explored proper handling techniques, environmental monitoring and the effects of temperature and relative humidity on collections.
Alvarado helped participants engage with materials from UCLA Library Special Collections by preparing items alongside the Public Services team, providing handling supplies and sharing collection context to deepen participants’ understanding of the materials. She also facilitated a collection viewing in the Distinctive Collections Classroom (DCC), where participants examined photographs and discussed different photographic processes with Weaver. For the salted paper printing activity, she helped prepare the Preservation Lab in Powell Library and coordinated access as participants exposed their prints.
“Conservation can often be a surprisingly laborious but gratifying career,” Alvarado explained. Conservators must look beyond the present, evaluating materials based on their most fragile and degraded components to anticipate potential challenges and make informed decisions about their long-term care.
Understanding historic photographic processes is particularly important when working with Library Special Collections’ extensive photographic holdings, which is periodically used for teaching and in the reading room. Identifying how and when a photograph was produced helps conservators understand its potential patterns of degradation and determine the best approach to its preservation.
Alvarado began her conservation journey with a college internship at Painting Conservation & Research, a private paintings conservation studio, followed by internships at institutions across Los Angeles including at the Fowler Museum, LACMA and UCLA Library’s Preservation & Conservation department.
For those considering the profession, she offered encouragement: “If conservation is something that you are really passionate about, everything required to get your degree will be worth it.”
Claire Downey, a UCLA graduate student pursuing a master's degree in library and information science and collections management assistant at UCLA Library Special Collections, said the workshop reinforced her interest in fine arts archiving and librarianship. She particularly valued the opportunity to strengthen her confidence in photographic identification and noted that she continues to use resources from the course in her work.
Laura Cherry, studio manager and graphic designer at LACMA, found the hands-on demonstrations especially valuable for understanding the time and physical effort involved in early photography.
Among her favorite items were daguerreotypes from UCLA Library Special Collections, which she had never examined up close.
“To be able to tilt it as light reflected off its surface was fantastic and gave me a deeper understanding of the details and the medium,” Cherry said. She described the workshop as interesting, informative, and “especially eye-opening in an age where we are in the habit of using phone cameras.”
Tori Puente, administrative officer at UCLA Library, was drawn to the workshop by her interest in analog photography and its history. She particularly enjoyed the identification exercises, during which participants examined photographs and negatives under microscopes to identify photographic techniques and estimate when the images were created. Creating salted paper prints also gave Puente a greater appreciation for the precision involved in early photographic processes. Among her favorite materials from UCLA Library Special Collections were hand-colored glass slides and prints by photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.
“Every step of preparation had to be carefully considered, from the subject materials, paper preparation, exposure time and accurately following the development steps,” Puente explained.
Having previously supported the heads of Distinctive Collections and Digital Initiatives and currently supporting the director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Puente hopes to apply what she learned to better understand the handling and preservation needs of photographic and other visual materials, along with the workflows involved in caring for fragile collections.
Through hands-on learning, participants gained a greater appreciation for the knowledge, precision and care involved in preserving photographic materials. The workshop connected historical techniques with contemporary conservation practices, highlighting the importance of these skills in ensuring photographs remain accessible for future generations.
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