Should we colour black and white photos?

[Gadget]

The trouble is there is a new App which colours and people think it is fine to use and that it will be correct. I know from what people have said before on here that to do it properly takes hours, not seconds!

Sometimes days or weeks. groom.

I recall doing a colouring for Ricky many years ago - maybe it was the year before he died. It was of his parents' wedding and included all the close family. I had to do it 'off board' because some relatives were still living. One of the relatives knew the personal colouring and the colours of the clothing so it was possible to get  fairly accurate colouring. It took me the best part of a month off and on. I gave up counting the number of colour masks that I used.

[Gadget]

Could I just add that the wonder of seeing a black and white image slowly appear in the developer tray is something that I still miss since the advent of digital photography. Developing coloured film just wasn't as fulfilling either!

[Guy Etchells]

My preference as many others have stated is to not colourise photos, I would add however that if a photo is coloured I feel it should be noted on the photo that it has been coloured.

I have also noted that in some cases a back & white or greyscale photo has more impact than a colour photo.
Cheers
Guy

[philipsearching]

It is a matter of personal choice, as people have said.

I have been impressed by colourised film (of the Great War, royal processions and so on) but I am not a fan of colourised photographs.  My opinion is that studio portraits should always be left in their original colour (b&w or sepia) as should every monochrome photograph where the balance of light and shade adds to the quality of the image.

I only tidy up damage on the photos I have taken or inherited (and ask for help when my skills are insufficient) with just one exception - a photo of my mum as a bridesmaid in 1938 for which she described in detail the colours of the dress, shoes, and posy, then wistfully remarked "Oh I wish I could see this in colour."  Thanks to one of the many amazing Rootschatters on this board, her wish was granted and a lovely framed A4 interpretation now hangs in her sitting room.

Philip

[Handypandy]

Colouring is a gimmick and should only ever be seen in that way. I enjoy doing them and take pains to get them as accurate as possible.... where its possible (only yesterday I googled a 1960s sewing machine to get the correct colour!). People that request them seem to enjoy the process so in that way, its a win win. Never discard the original, would always be my advice. It can never be replaced and also, who knows what software is around the corner to further blow our minds?

At the moment, AI colouring is complete tosh in my opinion, but who knows what the future holds?

Remini can be a useful tool in small doses but because of how it works, its over-use is worrying.

Having said all that, I often take photos and desaturate them to B/W because for some pics, you can't beat the impact.

As for colouring pics without permission, well as far as I am concerned, if someone posts a pic on the internet, for me its open season. They are perfectly at liberty not to download it and if they are so offended, they can just ask for it to be removed, I have no problem with that.

[tomkin]

      You have to remember that a B&W photograph, in itself, is artificial as the subject

      matter when the picture is taken wasn't B&W but full of colours.

       So a B&W photograph is not capturing the truth anyway.

                  Ne'er mind eh!!!!

[BillyF]

This photo of my mum and dad was colourised (is that the right word) at the time, 1941. I think it would have been painted, not sure.

Everything you`re saying goes over my head !!

[Treetotal]

I am in favour of authenticity when it comes to historical images and I leave my own photos as they are, as they have their own kind of beauty and value. I really enjoy colouring photos but don't use the photo enhancing apps as I feel they often look artificial and in some instances, they lose their depth and texture and in my opinion, are not in the true sense of the word, restorations, but each to his own.
I colour photos here mainly when it's requested but have done some that I think will colour well, when it hasn't been requested, but I often tell the poster that they don't need to have it if they don't want. I also make it clear that it is an artistic interpretation and as such, it's a piece of fiction.
I hand colour using information from my books to try to capture the era of the time. My most hated phrase when I have restored or coloured a photo is "It looks like new" 
When people request a coloured version, they do so to identify with the sitter and try to find a likeness between family members.
I would hate to see photo enhancing apps and colouring apps take over the board as that would be a huge shame for those of us who hand repair and colour with accuracy, patience and skill and would greatly devalue what we do and would probably mean that the board would eventually lose it's value
Carol
 

[Treetotal]

This photo of my mum and dad was colourised (is that the right word) at the time, 1941. I think it would have been painted, not sure.

Everything you`re saying goes over my head !!

I have a wedding photo of my parents and in-laws from the same era, on the back is written hair and eye colour etc. and were referred to as Hand Tinted as many photographers were also artists.
Carol