Preservation service
Starting at $35
Order unique and memorable keepsakes to share with future generations.
Instead of trying to see the past through a crusty old picture, hopefully the past will be looking back at you. It will be digitized to share with anyone else. The goal of these digital photo improvements is to remove rips, stains, specks, and other anomalies from the image. The contrast, exposure, or color balance will be changed to appear more natural to real life. The image may be enlarged to ensure high quality digital viewing, and may require cropping of the image as well. I will fix any further unnatural aspects and integrate the enhanced facial details in balance with the natural qualities of the source image. See my example images that relate these types of fixes.
Pricing
A digital restoration and facial enhancement takes a couple hours on average. The price will vary on the complexity of images. For example, a simple portrait will be about $35 but more complex group scenes will cost more. Extremely damaged photos may require fabrication of detail and further consulting about possible avenues of restoration, and cost may be calculated on an hourly rate of $35/hr. The deliverable will include a digital file to the customer’s email.
Considerations
What makes a good candidate for digital improvement?
Preferably, the customer owns the physical photograph and has access to a digital scanner. Sometimes scanners are not set to scan in high quality, or the standard 300dpi setting is not enough. When I scan images, 600dpi produces a clear scan without pixelation. But, generally what I’m looking for is that my scan will come out to be at least 3,000 pixels in width or height and that ensures quality. Ensure all necessary details have been captured in the scan.
What if the source image is downloaded from the Internet?
Ensure the image is public domain. If possible, find the highest quality digital version available, or attempt to acquire a better scan from the source. Many digital images have been subject to compression between the various sites and social media they’ve been uploaded to. While the image may appear fine from a distance, facial features may be virtually nonexistent. High quality source images make the job easier and the finished product more impressive.
Have a project in mind?
If there are concerns about potential projects, feel free to message me.
Digital Restoration Gallery
1840’s daguerreotype in good condition
(portrait of Osborne Meadows)
- removed specks, fixed double exposure on hands, fixed contrast, facial enhancement, corner detail fabrication, cropped
1880’s cabinet card in fair condition
(portrait of Martha Rutledge Pigg)
- removed crease, removed specks, fixed contrast, facial enhancement, cropped
1890’s cabinet card photo in very good condition
(portrait of Dr. Edward Dandridge Withers & wife Louisa Coles Withers)
- removed slight scratches, fixed contrast, facial enhancement, cropped
1950’s black & white film photo in poor condition
- cropped unwanted content, fixed creases, facial enhancement, fixed contrast
Modern photopaper print of 1911 cabinet card in good condition
(portrait of Dock Meadows and Alice Pruett Meadows family)
- removed specks, fabricated corner detail, cropped, slight sepia toning, facial enhancements, fixed contrast
- allow for multiple products (see below)
Closeup Detail
Dock Meadows and son Oscar
Closeup Detail
Alice Pruett Meadows
1870’s tintype photo in fair condition
(portrait of William W. Herndon)
- fixed scratches, removed blemishes, facial enhancement, balanced horizon line, cropped, fixed exposure
1921 cabinet card photo in fair condition (portrait of a Virginia moonshine still)
- fixed creases, removed spots & blemishes, fixed contrast, cropped
Pre-1910 tintype photo in good condition
(portrait of Joseph Pruett)
- removed specks, removed scratches, balanced horizon line, facial enhancement, cropped
1890’s cabinet card photo in fair condition
(portrait of William T. Pruett & wife Susan Watson Pruett)
- removed spots & blemishes, fixed contrast, facial enhancements, cropped
Pre-1908 cabinet card photo in fair condition developed using a cracked glass plate negative
(portrait of Pigg’s Mill Distillery, featuring Hutch Pigg & Crew)
- fixed cracks, fabricated missing content detail, fixed contrast, balanced horizon line, removed specks, cropped
1850’s ambrotype photo in fair condition
(portrait of Reuben Ricketts & wife Jane Richardson Ricketts)
- removed spots & blemishes, fixed contrast, removed pink blushing, fixed framing, facial enhancements, cropped