Mary Messner

Photographic Restorations

519-749-1847

mary@artistic-photo.com

Preserving Generations of the Past  ….

For Generations of the Future

 Restoring Old Photographs Strengthens Family Links with Past

On November 11, at 11:00 AM, Factory whistles blow, machines will shut down and thousands of Canadians will stand in silence for two minutes. Thousands more will gather beside Veterans of the Armed Forces at cenotaphs across the Country to honour the Canadian men and women who served their Country during Two World Wars.  Each will wear a red poppy in their lapel.  A link will be forged with the past.

The true, surviving memories of those challenging, yet victorious times are held by a rapidly diminishing generation of Canadians.  Within many families, the only tangible memories that link with these important events are a few cracked and faded photographs glued into the Family Album. The album probably needs to be restored after years of use, or worse still, neglect. The Photographs are in danger of being lost or deteriorating beyond repair.

Handing over a Treasures family photo for restoration to a photographic studio can often be a difficult thing to do. There is concern for its safety. Will it be returned with even more damage?Will it be lost in the process?  There is concern about cost.  What am I actually paying for?

When a customer arrives at Artistic Photography with a photo to be “fixed”, the restoration process is explained.  The first step is to evaluate the damage and estimate the cost of restoration.  The client is asked to sign an “Approval to Proceed”

Until recently, the next step was to proceed photographically by first re-photographing the original and producing a copy negative. It is from this negative that a  “Work Print” is made.  This enables the retoucher to do all the restoration work on the work print, leaving the original photo to be returned to the client in its original condition.  The next step is to re-photograph the restored image from the work print producing a new negative from which any number of prints can be produced for the customer.

This procedure is still widely used today. The Photographic Retouching Artist is a valued member of the Photographic Community. However, this craft is time consuming and fraught with health damaging chemicals.  The 21st Century Photographic Restorer uses Computers and Photographic Printers to produce a finished image indistinguishable from a photograph created today.  These restored photographs look and last exactly as any photograph would in similar circumstances.  All photographs will eventually fade and colour shift, especially if displayed in the light.  All photographs should be preserved in an acid free album, or if displayed on a wall, mounted with acid free mount board and framed with glass. Care should be taken to avoid direct sunlight shining on the photograph.

Retouching via computer has added advantages.   If the client wishes, backgrounds can be changed, people and things removed or more people added.  B&W Photographs can show a hint of colour, or Colour images can be created in B&W or brown toned.  Thus we can create a new photograph for future generations to enjoy.

The cost of restoration will vary considerably, depending on the condition of the original photograph and the degree of enhancement that might be required.  Artistry and time are the major factors.

Recognizing the importance of restoring these irreplaceable photos is the start toward building a permanent record of a family’s history and achievement for future generations to enjoy.

Artistic Photography can combine two or more photographs, remove or add people, create a unique background, or even substitute an exotic location for your portrait.  The possibilities are limited by your own imagination. Please ask for a consultation.

Family Portrait Albums

Lets start today.   Restore old photographs of your ancestors.   Schedule a Family Portrait  Session to visually record your family lifestyle.  Children talking with parents and grandparents, Playing with pets.  Working on projects or engaged in their favorite sport. Create a Family Album so that future generation will get to know how your Family lived.   Fill the Album with memories, add to it each year, Create a treasure for future generations to enjoy.