RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Elie on Wednesday 28 April 10 05:31 BST (UK)
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I know that no one actually restores pictures anymore (as opposed to using a computer), but I have some old pictures with tape problems, and I would like to fix those pictures.
I have many pictures with the old kind of tape which frequently does not stick. What is that kind of tape called? The bad part is, if you leave it long enough, it gets on everything. The sticky side leaves a residue on the picture, and I would like to know how to remove that. The other side pulls off pieces of any facing pictures. Luckily, it is possible (if you are CAREFUL) to remove the pieces, and I would like to know what to use to reattach them. Also, is it possible to remove that kind of tape without damaging the picture? Is it possible to remove the good kind of tape without damaging the picture? By the way, what is the good kind of tape called?
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Hi Elie
Your nearest museum will be able to advise you. Even if they only direct you to a book or online guide to conservation. Personally I would not try to do anything until you have scanned the photographs at the highest resolution your scanner can achieve and sent copies to a few family members.
Ken
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Hi Elie :)
I would take Ken's advice and contact your local museum or a conservator in your area.
Contrary to your belief, people DO actually restore pictures as opposed to photoshopping them, but it's a professional job and takes years of training to be able to do it properly. You need to know what sort of photograph it is, what sort of tape (for example) it is, what solvents can or can't be used on them, what adhesives you can use...etc.
Intially, as Ken says, take very good scans of all the affected pictures, keep copies on CD somewhere and send other copies to other members of the family, so there will always (hopefully) be an electronic version somewhere. A digital copy can then be restored on photoshop by the restorers here at Rootschat, or elsewhere.
If they are precious old photos then having a conservator look at them and give an estimate of what it would cost to fix them would be a good idea. I would really not recommend trying to do the work yourself (by the way, there is really no "good kind of tape"!).
If you go to this link:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,66915.0.html
you will find addresses for professional conservation organisations in the UK, Australia and the USA. If you live elsewhere, let me know and I will endeavour to put you in touch with the appropriate body in your country.
Cheers
Prue
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Hi Elie :)
I would take Ken's advice and contact your local museum or a conservator in your area.
Contrary to your belief, people DO actually restore pictures as opposed to photoshopping them, but it's a professional job and takes years of training to be able to do it properly. You need to know what sort of photograph it is, what sort of tape (for example) it is, what solvents can or can't be used on them, what adhesives you can use...etc.
Intially, as Ken says, take very good scans of all the affected pictures, keep copies on CD somewhere and send other copies to other members of the family, so there will always (hopefully) be an electronic version somewhere. A digital copy can then be restored on photoshop by the restorers here at Rootschat, or elsewhere.
If they are precious old photos then having a conservator look at them and give an estimate of what it would cost to fix them would be a good idea. I would really not recommend trying to do the work yourself (by the way, there is really no "good kind of tape"!).
If you go to this link:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,66915.0.html
you will find addresses for professional conservation organisations in the UK, Australia and the USA. If you live elsewhere, let me know and I will endeavour to put you in touch with the appropriate body in your country.
Cheers
Prue
I meant that no one on THIS SITE actually has pictures restored anymore (at least that seems to be the case). I thought that there might be someone on this site who could help me, but I guess that you are right about not doing it myself. I did find someone local in one of your links, but I will see who else is in the area before doing anything.
I do have a problem with scanning the pictures before having work done on them, and that is that that lousy tape will get on the scanner glass. What do you suggest? By the way, by good tape, I just meant tape which does not get all over everything!
Thanks for all of your help, and thanks to Ken also.
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Ah! Well, I'm not sure whether people who get their photos restored on here do get them conserved in real life...I suspect some do, depending on whether they think it's worthwhile. Like you, some of them have photos that are pretty damaged - stuck to the picture-frame glass etc. - and need to be "helped" before or as well as having digital restoration done. Most people with photos that are not affected like this are happy to have a digital restoration to restore original colour/contrast etc., and just to store the originals carefully to ensure long-term preservation.
I'm not sure what you mean about the tape problem you're having...do you mean that there is tape on the surface of some photos, and the sticky part is oozing out at the sides of the tape and causing facing pages/pictures to stick to it?
What sort of photos are they? Are they black and white, 'sepia', colour...? I might be able to give you some help to remove the goo if I can get an idea. Any possibility of posting a digital piccie of one of the affected photos so I can see the problem? Keen to help if I can :)
Cheers
Prue
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Ah! Well, I'm not sure whether people who get their photos restored on here do get them conserved in real life...I suspect some do, depending on whether they think it's worthwhile. Like you, some of them have photos that are pretty damaged - stuck to the picture-frame glass etc. - and need to be "helped" before or as well as having digital restoration done. Most people with photos that are not affected like this are happy to have a digital restoration to restore original colour/contrast etc., and just to store the originals carefully to ensure long-term preservation.
I'm not sure what you mean about the tape problem you're having...do you mean that there is tape on the surface of some photos, and the sticky part is oozing out at the sides of the tape and causing facing pages/pictures to stick to it?
What sort of photos are they? Are they black and white, 'sepia', colour...? I might be able to give you some help to remove the goo if I can get an idea. Any possibility of posting a digital piccie of one of the affected photos so I can see the problem? Keen to help if I can :)
Cheers
Prue
My pictures are not that damaged. They are in good shape in general, and only some of them have small areas of tape damage in various places. The main problem is all of the tape around the edges. I have a number of pictures which were taped into scrapbooks, first with the bad kind of tape, and then, in some cases, with the good kind of tape. Some pictures have only been taped with one of kind of tape.
The good kind of tape just has to be removed from the pictures, but the bad kind of tape, where it has come off of the pictures, has left a considerable amount of residue. In some cases, that residue has gotten a little beyond the edges of the tape (whether or not the tape is still stuck to the picture). The problem with facing pictures is sometimes caused by residue, but it is usually caused by the plastic in the tape sticking to facing pictures. Of course, that can only be fixed by carefully removing the pieces of the pictures from the tape, and then gluing them onto the pictures.
Most of the pictures are black and white, although there is a little of everything. I am hesitant to scan the pictures, because I do not want to get any gunk on the scanner glass. The tape residue is not sticky, but still... I think that I will have to try to take some pictures with a good camera. A scanner would be better, but I hope that a good camera will be good enough.
I really appreciate your help, and will get back to you with some images as soon as I can.