Q. It seems that all the articles about photo restoration say not to write on the back of photos with anything other than a soft-lead pencil. Several years ago, I wrote names, etc. on the back of some of my photos using a waterproof and permanent ink marker that I purchased at a photography store. The pictures are still in perfect condition today. Is there any reason I shouldn't be using this marking pen?

A. Both of these questions address a similar issue: how to place identification on a photograph. There are products on the market that make that question easy to answer. If you can, use a soft lead pencil to write information on the back of a photograph while it is face down on a clean, dry surface. Hard lead pencils will leave an indentation. Unfortunately, pencils will not work on the coated papers of today's photographs. Instead purchase an odorless (when dry), waterproof, soft tip marker. Just be careful to let the ink dry completely, because it is permanent. Ballpoint pens and felt tip markers are not good choices. Ballpoint pens smudge and leave indentations in the photograph while felt tip markers can bleed through the image. The good news is there are lots of choices in art supply stores and craft shops.

If you already have photographs marked with ballpoint pens, the damage is already done. Previous generations didn't have access to the materials we do today. Don't worry too much about it. Just make sure that you use appropriate products when identifying your photographs.