PHOTO RESTORATION

Quick-Fix     Basic     Moderate     Major     Severe     Distortion & Manipulation     Flip Albums     Cartoons & Painting     Pricing

We specialize in digital photo restoration, restoring and repairing photographs using the most current software and sophisticated digital methods and techniques for retouching and enhancement. We'll restore, repair, retouch and enhance your faded, yellowed, torn, damaged family snapshots and old genealogy pictures with the same care we'd give our own.
 
Our restorations and repairs run the gamut from basic or quick-fixes to the more complex manipulation and rebuilding of images. We can brighten, sharpen, colorize and change backgrounds. We also replace missing bits, and add or remove people or objects from photos. Your original is never changed or touched in any way, except to scan. We work only on the digital image.
 
Your photo will be returned to you in its original condition, or you can scan and send via email. We can manipulate images to make an individual look thinner, younger or turn him or her into a caricature. Artistic renderings of favorite photographs, e.g. portraits and landscapes, can make unique gifts. There are examples on the following pages of these techniques and more.

An example of a severely damaged photo, and the restored photo
Photographs are precious memories of our lives; fading with age is to be expected but is something that can be corrected. Almost any flaw, from the tiniest scratch or spot, to water or mold damage and even major portions of a photo being missing, can be fixed. Dirt or mold that can't be removed by cleaning can be removed digitally. There are examples of those as well as other blemished photographs on our pages.
 
We prefer scanning photos, slides or negatives ourselves, but can accept images scanned at 300 dpi, minimum. Images of 1 MB in size are large enough to work on, but images 5MB or larger are even better. Images we scan range from 600 ppi to 4800 ppi and are around 30-50 MB in size. This is for restoration purposes; images also will be saved at more manageable sizes for printing.

We could be doing quick fixes, in fact in some cases this is a perfect way to "bring back" a photo. The images above were sent via email, but only at a resolution of 72 dpi, much too small to restore effectively; as a result we used mostly quick fixes, with a few extras where necessary.

Example of a heavily damaged cabinet card, and a restoration in progress
Most of our work is done on a by the job basis, determining which technique is best suited to each individual photo and budget. As a rule, photos are saved as 6" x 4" images, or as close to that as possible. Larger sizes are possible also, but much depends on the size of the original. We've successfully saved stereo slides that make perfect 5" x 7" prints. All images are saved as jpgs, bmps and /or tiffs and burned onto a CD. We are able to print photos but as a rule we don't offer that service since Kinko's, CVS and other establishments are able to do it so reasonably.
 
Here is an example of a partially restored photo, quick fix style, with some faded parts still showing. Originally this photo showed water damage and mold, since repaired, and not apparent in this view except at the bottom center and along the edge. The intent here is just to show how a faded snapshot from 1968 can be restored. The second group shows a before and after view taken from a stereo slide that was shot in 1958, another photo that needed extensive clean-up.

Lake Champlain, '68

Levittown PA, 1957

Aerial view, NJ, c. 1974
The last slide was covered with mold. We were unable to clean it completely so had to finish it digitally; we also enhanced clarity and color. This would be classified as a full or major restoration. Please click on thumbnails to view the photographs in their full size.

A Few Examples of Digital Painting

SIMPLE or mINOR

Minor retouching of a photo would cover adjusting color and brightness, darkening images that have faded and adjusting the contrast. Sepia toned and color photographs can be transformed to black and white; any black and white photo can be transformed to sepia. With minor photo retouching, small spots in non-detailed area are removed, as are dust, scratches and stains. A photo may be resized and the image sharpened. Small spots or marks in non-detailed facial areas also can be removed in a minor retouching.

First plantings, Oaktree, Levittown, Pennsylvania, Levittowner Type 4 model
35 mm slide circa 1953. If printing, 4" x 6" is probably the largest it should be printed though we've had success in printing photos from stereo slides up to 5" x7". It depends upon the clarity of the original, and also on the resolution of the first scan.

Stereo slide, enlarged & enhanced - Levittown, Pennsylvania, c. 1957

35 mm slide, 1969, simple fix - Monmouth University, Long Branch, NJ

Polaroid original, Easter 1960

Snapshot, Hungarian Refugees c. 1957

Photographs, stereo slides and 35 mm slides from Levittown, Pennsylvania collections

35 mm slide, enlarged and enhanced. Levittown PA ca 1954

35 mm slide, enlarged and enhanced. Bellows Falls VT circa 1952

Instamatic photo, 1971 - Bordentown, NJ

35 mm slide, enhanced - Delmar, NY, c. 1951

35 mm slide, Levittown PA Little League State Champs circa 1967

Several Tips and Tricks for Scanning

  • NEVER, EVER PUT TAPE ON THE FACE OF A PHOTOGRAPH!  (see below for an easy patch tip for scanning)

  • Never scan lower than 300 ppi and use at least 600 ppi when possible

  • Making a scan 600 pixels along one side in its measurements is not the same as resolution size

  • When scanning slides and/or negatives use the highest possible resolution, 1200 ppi or higher

  • Crop off all unnecessary white or black on the edges before scanning for the best possible contrast

  • NEVER USE AUTO SETTINGS WHEN SCANNING!!

  • NEVER work on an original scan; always work on a copy

  • Scan at the highest resolution possible; the higher the res, the more info will be available IF IT'S THERE

  • ALWAYS scan in color mode whether the photo is color or black and white

  • Quick fixes are functional only when the print is the same size as, or just a bit larger than, the original

  • The larger the finished print the more detailed cleaning will be necessary on a photo's damage

  • High resolution digital photos rarely will require extensive retouching except for glamour finishes

  • When doing your own restoration work, ALWAYS save it when you've reached a  point you like

  • Further changes might make it impossible to back out or duplicate an earlier look

  • AGAIN, never work on an original scan, only on the copy, and ALWAYS save your work - often!

  • If you must use tape to hold pieces together for scanning, use narrow strips lightly placed at strategic points on the BACK of the photo that can be removed after the scan is done.

 

                                                                                Page: 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . Pricing . Index

To request a sample demo CD please contact us with your mailing address and $3.95 postage & handling at eaglewings1111@hotmail.com or janice_weeks@msn.com , with Demo CD in the subject line. If your email program does not support links, please copy and paste either address. PayPal accepted. Thank you.

  Contact: eaglewings1111@hotmail.com or

                       j_and_d@eaglewings-eyrie.com

                                                                                                                                                                              

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   Neither photos nor DESIGNS may be used without prior written permission.  

 

 

 

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