Photography has been used as a typical tool of recording image since its invention in the nineteenth century. Photographs provide valuable visual information about all parts of society, and a systematic management must be preceded to use these information. The management and preservation system of photographs should reflect the characteristics of photographic medium. It is necessary for many archives to perform appraisal first to collect and manage enormous photographs. Appraisal is the process of determining meaning and value of records, and the reasonable criteria should be needed to carry it out. The purpose of this study is to suggest appraisal criteria for photographic records based on the archival appraisal theories and the characteristics of photography. This study draws on traditional appraisal theories and some literatures for archival management of photographs. This study is organized as follows. The first section examines the concept and values of photographic records and the distinctiveness of appraising photographs. The second section analyzes the existing appraisal criteria for individual records. The third section designs appraisal classes of photographic records and proposes the criteria for each classes.