photo restoration project

[schrackman]

One of my wife's co-workers asked her if I would restore a couple old photos for him. This is the first one that I've completed. It was in real bad shape and it took about three hours just to get this far. I'm sure you can figure out which the original unedited scan and which is the restored photo. I could probably do more to this photo but would like your comments on how well you think I did thus far.

My wife also has another co-worker that will be having me restore quite a few old photos too. Finally I'll be making a few bucks, at least enough to pay for my new Epson 3170 flatbed.

Ray

[Janie]

I've restored a few family photos and a photo for someone at work. I've learned that you need to buy a protective coating to preserve the digital image - it fades! I use Krylon's Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating for photographs - I find it does work well on digital images, but you must let the ink dry thoroughly over night before applying the coating.

Tedious work! May the force be with you! Hope you're charging by the hour!

[schrackman]

of just how bad this photo was...

[Peter_AUS]

This is very well done. Look like a Fillipino family. Would like to know how you do this, get rid of the blotching etc, would like to restor a few of my own, that are the only ones in existence and I have them, no one else in the family gets near them.

[natatbeach]

wowo THAT my friend is impressive...well done

[Old Timer]

Very nice job! I just don't think I would have the patience to do this type work. My hat is off to you.

[Todd Patten]

I've restored a few family photos and a photo for someone at work. I've learned that you need to buy a protective coating to preserve the digital image - it fades! I use Krylon's Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating for photographs - I find it does work well on digital images, but you must let the ink dry thoroughly over night before applying the coating.

Janie -- standard ink jet printers fade -- even with your protective coating. However, archival printers, such as the Epson 2200 with the UltraChrome ink, used with Epson archival paper will last nearly as long as a photo done in a lab (85+ years) without fading.

I am re-working a web site for a well known photographer in this area who specializes in restoration and preservation of historical images. Nothing p^sses him off more than those selling themselves as "restoration specialists", when all they do is a quick PS and print on STANDARD INK JET PRINTERS. As you said, within months the "restored" images start to fade. Folks who do this give the industry a bad name. In his case, he does use PS, but all prints are re-done on Epson 2200 or 7600 printers using the UltraChrome inks. They will last nearly as long as the original. He used to do this in a lab but reproducing a negative, creating a print, "repainting" the print, producing another negative and finally, creating a print.

Interestingly enough, I asked him why he was willing to turn to digital when he is so respectful of history and the history of photography (his studio is a museum of photo history). His answer: Finally, the digital process is close enough to the lab process.

Bottom line is that if you use the right equipment, this can be done well and done right. Such that the image will last another lifetime. Printing on standard ink jet printers is purely a temporary fix for what should be a long term solution.

[Todd Patten]

schrackman -- Very nice work. The colors are very good and the image looks perfect.

[Elysian]

Nice work schrackman. I guess the bottom corner was the most difficult part or not?

Btw, was that dark area intentional?

[schrackman]

Thanks everyone. Peter, yes that is a Filipino family!

Elysian, yes I noticed that too after I posted. Looks like I will have to dodge it and a do a few more other things as well.

By the way, these will not print by inkjet. I will have them taken to my local photo shop and have them processed on Kodak Royal paper.

I appreciate everyone's input, and will post the next photo that I do when I finish it.

Ray

[Elysian]

Elysian, yes I noticed that too after I posted. Looks like I will have to dodge it and a do a few more other things as well.

Btw, how do you dodge?
The best way to do a non-destructive dodge is to add a new layer and to fill it with 50% gray; edit/fill.../use: 50% gray.
You then change this blending mode to overlay or soft light and you can dodge and burn as much as you like using this layer without touching the original.
There are for example also ways to clone, add noise, to change the brightness of certain parts, to add a sepia tone, etc without ever damaging the orginal.
The background layer is the one I never touch; I always put several layers on top with each one of them serving a different purpose.

[Outdoorsman]

This is a very interesting thread for me, because I'm just beginning to learn this stuff at the shop. My boss has been doing this for years, and with incredible results. No single customer has had any complaints. And we print on the good archival paper with the good archival inks on the Epson 9600- I've been assured that the prints will last longer than anyone alive today.
I do have a question, however. I would be interested to know what people generally charge for a service such as this. I said no customer has complained, but I meant about the finished product. Often people do gasp at the price. We charge $45/hour for all digital art/design/restoration/retouching/etc. Is this low or high or just right? 'Cause I've priced some shops in other nearby small towns, and we are the cheapest so far. I'm wondering if maybe the customers just don't know what they'd be paying elsewhere, or if we're charging too much.
Oh, and on the printer subject (not to drag this post on too long) we're not getting quite the sharpness in prints that Epson says the 9600 will give us. The prints are a little too fuzzy, and we can't seem to figure out why. I'm a beginner on this subject, so I have no clue, but I'm wondering if it's an image resolution issue? My boss says 300-400 dpi image resolution is fine for any resolution print (or any size print) -we print customer work at about 1400- but I'm thinking the image resolution should match the printer resolution. Am I wrong?

[Clicker]

You must have *alot* of patience!!

good work so far! keep it up!