Photo Stuck to Glass

Several years ago I had a copy made of an old photograph, and then I framed it. I'd say that was around 1990, and it's been in the same frame, under the same glass ever since.

Now I want to put that picture in a different frame, so I tried to remove it. The glass will come out, but the picture is stuck to the glass. Yes, I know I could have avoided this by using a matte. Maybe it would have helped if I washed the glass before putting the pic behind it. (Maybe I did do that; I forget.) At any rate, I need to know what to do now.

My husband filled the kitchen sink with warm water and says we should just soak the pic and glass. He may be right, but I don't know if I can trust his judgement on this.

Anyone know?

Agreed. But I've too often heard the whining of those that think they can simply hang the prints by two close pins and get them to come out perfectly flat. Thus my laborious explanation.

amount of ink transfer I get on my hands, I'd not recommend that.

Errr. Clothes Pins

Start by photographing the picture through the glass - then you will have something if it self destructs. You will need polarizing material and a polaroid filter. If you are not a photographer ask a friend who is, or consider hiring someone to do it.
For removing the picture, you are probably not going to be 100% successful no matter waht you do. Moisture has adhered the emulsion to the glass, and after 30 years that bond is better than the bond to the paper in a lot of places. You will have a mess when you finish, no matter what method you use. Between what you can save and the new photograph you should be able to do or have done a digital restoration.

I'm and old dark roomer (pre-resin coated paper days)- but drying prints isn't all that big a deal.

Blot the back of the print by pressing it against a stack of newpaper or paper towels, After getting most of water out, put a sheet of

wick away the remaining water and then put a weight like a big book on the front. When it dries in a day or two, you'll have a matte finish.

If you want it glossy (and the paper is glossy-capable), take the wet print down to your local photo finisher and ask the to ferrotype dry it for you.

spoke these words:
Fill a small tray with cool water and add a couple of drops of photo flow solution from any photo shop. Let it soak for a couple of minutes then carefully see if it will come free.

It will take more than just a few minutes of soaking time. The
Photoflo is not necessary (though it is a good idea).

The really question is whether your print is a resin coated or a paper based print. If it is resin coated (meaning it is kind of plastic feeling) then it will take much longer, perhaps even overnight, for the water to permeate the front where it is stuck to the glass. OR it might even come off very easy.

If your print on paper (rather then resin coated), then after you free the print, dry in carefully by dabbing with a new sponge. Place the print between two or more sheets of paper, put it on a flat surface, then place the dried glass on it and add some weights on top of that.
Then every fifteen minutes change the sheets of paper. <-- you're basically blotting the print dry. As you continue this process you can extend the time between paper changes. If you do not change the paper you will get wrinkles in your print.

If your print is resin coated you almost don't need to blot it dry.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'm not a photographer. I would have soaked the picture and glass, then just let it dry, so it probably would have been a mess. I would have scanned it first, at least, so maybe it would have been OK, but I was never brave enough to try.

The picture is still stuck to the glass, and there it will stay. I just put it back in its old frame. It looks fine. I had wanted to change frames but, oh well.

Maybe some day I'll get up the nerve.

Do you have any friends who are into photography? Or you could ask at the local camera store if there is anyone who could do the job for you.
Anyone who is set up for shooting artwork could take the picture.