Many of us hang onto old photos which have become worn or damaged over time. With increasing trends for people tracing their family more people are getting their old photos restored to teach future generations how life was. With advantages in technology it is now possible to restore and even improve some old photos.
Digital RestorationUsing a computer to improve the quality of a photo is one of the safest methods of restoration. Using this method the original picture doesn't need to be altered at all which obviously provides a much safer option.
Your original photo will be scanned into the computer and a copy will be saved. Once the image has been scanned the contrast and individual levels of colours can be altered as well as various other effects.
Electronic image enhancement is commonly used to fix damage from discolouring caused by excessive exposure to light. It can also be used to repair more considerable damage such as surface damage like scratches, rips and tears.
As well as repairing damage other optional alterations can sometimes be carried out. These are usually removing simple obstructions such as protruding buildings ruining a skyline.
Depending on your personal knowledge and experience of using computers and software this kind of restoration work can be carried out at home. You will need software for editing your images, a scanner and a printer.
Some scanners may have software which allows you to alter the contrast and do other basic operations. For a good result it is better to buy specific software to allow a higher degree of control.
If you are hoping to display your work then a good quality printer is also recommended. Even though you have restored the image on your computer you may not be able to notice the difference in the print from a lower quality printer with a lower resolution.
Many people choose to visit a professional to carry out digital restoration. As they have the technical skill and knowledge they can achieve the best results in less time. Also as this is their profession you won't have to shell out on the equipment for your computer because they will already have all the equipment necessary. This particularly applies to getting prints of your old photos. Without a good printer and good quality photographic paper there isn't much point in restoring your photos.
Alternative SolutionsAside from digital restoration other solutions are available for restoring photos. Some of the alternatives are quite expensive and you may need to find a skilled specialist for some of the solutions.
- Using airbrush techniques is another way to restore old photos. A copy of the photo will be made which is treated with a bleach solution. The bleach will help to separate the dark and light areas of the photo, reducing blurring and generally improving clarity. After this individual areas can be tackled using the airbrush to build up layers around effected areas. Depending upon the skill of the person with the airbrush almost anything can be achieved although as more work is done it becomes easy to spot the alterations.
- Another more simple solution is copying restoration. This is achieved by making a copy of the original picture from the negatives. This technique is good for improving the contrast of the picture and obviously there won't be any surface damage carried over from the original. Copying restoration can be used on a variety of dated types of photos and is a cost effective solution, as long as you have the negatives.
- Another solution is chemical restoration. Chemical restoration works particularly well on black and white photos. By redeveloping the original photo on black and white paper faded areas caused by metals oxidising in the print can become rejuvenated and appear fresh again. You can also get a good effect by bleaching the photo and redeveloping the image. If you are considering doing this make sure the work is carried out by a professional as the effects caused by bleaching are irreversible.