How to Restore Old Photos

Pictures can preserve our dearest memories. You might have photos of loved ones, of you as a kid, or from someone special. Emotions and joyful memories can be experienced while looking at old photos. They help you recall some of life’s most beautiful moments.

Unfortunately, physical pictures do not always stay in good shape; they can get damaged by water, fire, ripping, or the passage of time. It doesn’t matter how well you have cared for them; at one point or another, a part or the whole picture will no longer look like it used to.

Luckily, there is a way to restore pictures and make them look as good as new. This process is called picture restoration, and in this article, we will explain what it is and how it works.

What is Photo Restoration? 

Digital picture restoration is a photo editing process to enhance and restore the original appearance of a digital version of a physical photo that has artificial, environmental, and natural damage.

Image editing techniques are applied to remove the honeycomb pattern, dirt and scratches, spills, and signs of aging, such as yellowing and fading. With the advancement of photo editing tools, removing blur and facial enchantments has become much more manageable.

Photo Restoration Tools

The editing process can be performed using a photo restoration tool like Adobe Photoshop or Remini. If you do not possess the knowledge or do not have the time, you can use a professional photo restoration company such as Pixels Photo Art to restore and colorize your pictures. 

How Does Old Photo Restoration Work? 

Preserving your damaged photos may sound challenging, but rest assured that it’s easier than it may sound. Additionally, it is something you need to do because they hold dear memories, and at the later stages of your life, it will bring comfort to you and your family. The pictures will be the talking subject of the family reunions for your children and grandchildren.

Therefore, having your images in excellent condition will also preserve your family heritage, allowing future generations to meet their ancestors. If your physical pictures have signs of damage, you should consider having them restored.

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider having your pictures restored:

• Improved quality
• A fresh and new feel
• Higher resolutions
• Reconstructing missing parts
• Dust and damage removal
• Photo pattern removal
• Enhance photo colors
• Colorize black and white photos
• Digital copies do not age

As time goes by, your photos will fade further into oblivion. With the right approach, you can take action. Here is a complete view of how photo restoration works step by step.

1. Scanning the Photo

Before proceeding with any digital restoration, scanning the original photo as a first step is essential. This crucial step will determine the potential success of the restoration. Scanning the photo helps preserve the original image and provides a digital copy that can be used for further work without damaging the original.

We recommend using a flatbed scanner and having it scanned in high resolution.

2. Examine Carefully

The photograph’s condition should be carefully examined. Special attention is paid to the problem areas of the image as each has its distinct way of fixing. Identifying all the issues will help you choose the right tools and the most time-efficient way to achieve a good result.

3. Digital Photo Retouching

Having access to the right editing tools makes the whole difference.

Using specialized photo editing software, the restoration expert begins the process of digital retouching. Damaged areas of the photo will be carefully corrected.

Techniques like healing, cloning, and patching to remove scratches, unwanted marks, dust spots, tears, stains, and other imperfections.

Adobe Photoshop has tools such as the spot healing brush and clone stamp tool that help in the process.

4. Color Correction

Black and white images and color photos both fade over time and if they are not stored properly, they can get overexposed from light and direct sun exposure. You may have noticed that old photos tend to have pale colors due to age and improper storage conditions.

Color corrections such as brightness, saturation, contrast, RGB levels, and tone adjustment are required to restore the original colors.

If the colors are too pale or the mentioned corrections do not bring a significant change, colorizing the photo may be required.

5. Reconstruction of Damaged Photo

When a photograph has missing or heavily damaged parts that hide important details, we recommend using reconstruction techniques.

These techniques involve refining facial details and recreating the missing details using surrounding content, reference images, or your painting skills to fill in the gaps. 

6. Quality Enhancements

After the required restoration is finished, it is possible to further improve the photo’s quality by implementing additional enhancements.

These can include sharpening details, decreasing or adding noise for a smooth paper feel, and refining clarity using specific artificial intelligence applications.

7. Colorize

Sometimes, color corrections are insufficient, or you want your black and white photo colorized. Create layer masks of each element and have it colorized individually. Identifying and adjusting if a change is needed without color spills on other elements will be easy. 

For example, if we have a portrait, we will name each layer and its mask: hair, face, eyes, lips, teeth, tie, costume, and background. It may take longer, but you can be sure you will not have any issues adjusting afterward.

8. Preservation of Restored Photo

Once the restoration is complete, the digital image can be safely archived for preservation purposes or stored on an external or online drive. Additionally, it is possible to print the image on high-quality photo paper or other materials to create physical copies.

What is the Purpose of Restoring Photos?

There are many reasons why you would want to have restored photos. Here are just a few of them: 

Preserving Family’s Heritage

Restoring old family photos is crucial for preserving a family’s history and has significant benefits. By reviving your photographs, you create a bridge between generations, allowing family members to connect with their ancestors and the stories they hold. Your family members can trace their lineage and shared history; therefore, you secure a family’s legacy for future generations to cherish and pass down.

Emotional Connection and Personal Healing

Restored photographs can produce emotional connections because they allow individuals to relive precious memories and revisit special moments from the past.

Photographs can provide comfort and support in the healing process, particularly during periods of mourning.

Cultural Significance or Preserving History

Preserving cultural heritage, traditions, and customs depicted in images.

Historical moments are mostly captured through paintings, movies, and photos. War scenes and other Photographic visual records from world war 1 or 2 can be made more relevant and meaningful to present and future audiences. 

Photographs can be used for educational purposes, allowing individuals to learn about history and heritage.

Documenting Milestones

Preserved photographs document significant moments in a family’s history, including weddings, graduations, and other important celebrations, guaranteeing that they won’t be forgotten over time.

Sharing Pictures

If you have a picture of a deceased family member, that person must be commemorated correctly. You can’t share a faded and damaged photo with other family members who want to remember the person. If the picture gets restored, you will have a digital version of the photo, and with it, you can make physical copies that can be shared with other family members and friends. 

Bring Back the Past in Color 

Vintage pictures are usually in sepia or black and white. You can bring life to your old photos by colorizing them to see those times as they were! Let’s face it! Who wouldn’t want to see a picture from the 30s with beautiful colors? 

Where Can I Get a Picture Restored? 

There are many different places over the internet where you can get your picture restored. However, sometimes it can be challenging to pick the right one. Pictures are one of the most emotionally valuable objects, and going to the wrong website to restore your pictures may cause more harm than good. 

Therefore, it is always important to look at the reviews of the website and see what other people have said. It’s also important to look at the before and after examples to get a feel of the quality of the photo restoration services. Sticking with companies instead of freelancers is recommended, as they will revise and adjust according to your needs.

Can All Damage be Restored? 

Restoring a picture can be a difficult and time-consuming task; that’s why it must be carried out by a professional, or better yet, a team of professionals with multiple years of experience.

A team of professionals can repair most damage to a picture, such as, but not limited to: 

• Scratches 
• Fading
• Yellowing
• Missing parts 
• Tears 
• Water damage and other spills
• Discoloration 

How Much Does Restoration Cost? 

The cost can differ based on the quality of the restoration work. Most freelancers charge as little as $5 per photo, as they are not paying for the labor of a human expert. They rely solely on AI tools to restore photos, so the results will be minimal, as quality is impossible to achieve at such low prices. You can also find freelancers that overcharge; therefore, it is better to stick to companies.

Generally, companies’ prices range from $30 to $500 per photo. The price should be based on the difficulty of the restoration and not a flat fee. Anything from $10 for an essential restoration and $80 for a complex restoration is considered fair. Anything under or above this price range will waste time or money. 

A company manually restores pictures and tends to provide higher-quality restoration services. Artificial intelligence (AI) photo restoration cannot replicate the personal touch that a human can provide in the photo restoration process. 

Conclusion

Our most cherished memories are often captured in pictures, which can evoke emotions and happy recollections of life’s most precious moments. However, physical photographs may deteriorate over time. Picture restoration provides a solution to revive and renew them, restoring their original beauty and glory.

Restoring a photo can be a time-consuming process that varies based on the extent of damage and desired outcome. Expert photo restorers specialize in renewing old images without compromising their original charm or the moment captured within them.

By entrusting your precious memories to skilled photo editors, you can ensure that the charm and significance of those moments can be renewed and safeguarded for future generations.