Saving Your Family Treasures
Fading from View
by Maureen Taylor
A reader recently asked, "Is there any way to restore an old photo that is very faded?" The answer is yes and no. It is possible to enhance or restore the clarity of a photograph but all involve manipulating a copy of the original digitally, photographically, or artistically. The original image is not touched. The success of those techniques depends on what caused the change in appearance.
What Causes Fading?
According to David Mishkin of Just Black and White, a photograph that is disappearing from view is not always faded. Different factors contribute to the "light" appearance of an image. For instance, in photographs taken before 1910, fading occurs when pictures are exposed to sunlight or UV light.
Images taken after 1910 can appear faded, but their problems usually relate to difficulties with the film or the camera. If your print or negative has faded streaks across it, the image has not deteriorated. Instead the appearance is a result of the film getting exposed to light before developing. This can happen when you open the camera back by mistake or when your camera has a crack in it. Mishkin says it's possible to improve these newer images but not to the extent of fading due to light or chemicals.
Chemical fading is due to improper processing and can happen with many different types of paper prints regardless of when they were taken. During the print-making process, photographs are produced in three steps--developing, fixing, and washing. The final wash rinses away all the chemicals used to produce the print. If the photographer or lab doesn't thoroughly wash, the image will either stain or fade over time.
Stopping the Process
Professional conservators may be able to halt chemical fading using special solutions and techniques. Find a photographic conservator in your area through the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. They have an online referral service.
If the fading is a result of exposure to sunlight, removing the images from display and storing them in the dark in acid- and lignin-free papers can slow the process.
Do It Yourself Digital Restoration
It is possible to enhance the clarity of faded photographs and eliminate the light streaks with photo-editing software.
- Explore the capabilities of the software that came with your scanner or digital camera before shopping around for a more sophisticated editing tool. If you're an experienced user of photo-editing software then you can also recreate details in your faded images. Results depend on your skill level.
- Scan your faded photo and then try to enhance it using photo-editing software.
- After improving the image, save it as a digital file or print it on photographic paper.
- You can also hire professional digital restoration experts to do it for you if the process is too difficult or time-consuming.
Photographic Enhancements
A professional photographer, using special chemicals, filters, and film, can dramatically restore the original clarity to a photograph. This works especially well with tintypes. Tintypes tend to darken due to the varnish coating rather than fade. The final product is a copy negative and duplicate print of the original image. I've seen this technique enhance faded images (where I could barely see the image) so that every detail is visible.
Airbrush Restoration
You'll need to hire someone trained to do airbrush restoration. An airbrush is a pressurized paintbrush that can apply pigment to the surface of a copy of an original image. The final product resembles a painted portrait rather than a photograph. A person skilled in using an airbrush can restore a faded image and eliminate any defects present in the picture. In the airbrush process,
- A photographer makes a copy print of the original.
- The airbrush artist applies paint only to the duplicate. No paint is applied to the original picture.
Restoration Advice
Not all prints benefit from restoration. Images with significant damage, such as scratches across a face, have too much critical detail missing to be restored.
Enhancing a faded photograph can be expensive depending on the method used. Before making a financial commitment to a particular photograph, determine the sentimental and historical value of the picture. If it's the only known photograph of your great-grandmother, the cost is probably justified.
Hiring a Professional
If you decide to hire someone to restore or enhance your images, do the following:
- Request to see samples of their work.
- Prior to signing a contract with a restoration professional, ask for references and contact them.
- Ask about their fees and how long they've been in business.
- Find out if they have special training.
- Inquire how long it will take to do the job.
Since, your photographic heritage is irreplaceable, make sure that anyone working with your photographs will treat them as valuable artifacts.
Investigate the possibilities of fixing damaged or faded photographs using the techniques listed here. Ask a professional what can be done and what it will cost to fix a faded photograph before deciding it isn't worth saving. You never know when a faded photograph may hold the key to your unsolved genealogical mystery.
Maureen A. Taylor is the author of Scrapbooking Your Family History (Betterway 2003) and Preserving Your Family Photographs (Betterway 2001). Send your preservation questions to her at mtaylor@taylorandstrong.com.
Copyright 2004, MyFamily.com.
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Ancestry Quick Tip
Using Flash Can Wash Out Microfilm Images
This refers to Juliana Smith's Question #3 in her article "More Adventures in Digital Photography."
Juliana did not use flash out of consideration for the library. There is another reason not to use flash for pictures of the microfilm image--the flash would so overpower the image that the photo would be a white sheet. This is true for photographing any projected image.
Regards,
Bruce
Thanks to Bruce for today's Quick Tip! If you have a tip you would like to share with researchers, you can send it to ADNeditor@ancestry.com.
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