Miksi entisöidä valokuvia? For my Finnish Readers.

Siitä asti, kun ihminen ensimmäistä kertaa teki luola maalauksia, olemme halunneet tallentaa kokemuksia ja muistoja ympäristöstämme. Vuosituhansien ajan me teimme tämän graafisessa muodossa. Tämä johtui pitkälti kirjoitetun kielen puutteesta. Myös ensimmäiset kirjoitetut kielet olivat kuvallisessa muodossa, kuten Egyptin Hieroglyfit tai mystinen Phaistos Disc.

Vuosisatojen ajan olemme kehittäneet uusia tapoja luoda kuvia, ja löytäneet uusia käyttötapoja niille. Arkeologit ovat pitkälti samaa mieltä siitä, että jo näiden aikaisimpien maalausten tarkoitus oli jotain muuta kun olla koristeena. Mahdollisesti niiden tarkoitus oli kommunikatiivinen tai rituaalinen.

Ihmisen kehittyessä, kehittyi myös kuvien käyttömme. Esteettinen tietoisuutemme kehittyi nopeasti ja halumme tallentaa muistoja jälkipolvia varten oli pysäyttämätön. Aluksi oli väripigmentti kivessä, sitten öljyväri kanvaksella ja myöhemmin kuva vangittiin negatiiville. Aina meillä on ollut halu ja tarve muistaa mitä mielessämme olevat muistot eivät säilytä.

Nyt elämme digitaaalisen ajan huipulla ja nykyaikaiset tallennusmuodot tallentavat digitaaliset kuvat helposti ja turvallisesti. Nuo historian luolamaalaukset on konservoitu ja useissa tapauksissa entisöity. Näin on tehty myös mahtaville öljyväri mestariteoksille.

Entä omat muistomme ja valokuvataiteen pioneerien historia? Eikä unohdeta Erkki-sedän lomakuvia vuodelta 1967. Kaikki nämä talteen otetut hetket, on jäljennetty erilaisille varhaisille valokuvapapereille, jotka väistämättä haalistuvat ja haperoituvat vuosikymmenten kuluessa.

Valokuvatulosteet kertovat meille kulttuuriperinnöstämme, perheen hinstoriasta, tärkeistä historiallisista tapahtumista, saavutuksistamme, epäonnistumisistamme, kehityksestämme ja yhteiskuntamme kehityksestä.

Tällä kaikella on kiire. Jokainen hetki valokuviin tallentamamme tapahtumat haalistuvat, haperoituvat ja lopulta niistä tulee tunnistamattomia. Tässä on ne syyt, miksi uskon, että on korkea aika entisöidä ja restauroida valokuvamme, jotka kuvaavat kenties tärkeintä ajanjaksoa ihmisen kehityksessä.

Seuraavaan kertaan.

Tutorial 1: Step 3, prep for Scanning

Here are some tips I forgot to include in steps 1 & 2.

1. Scanner manufacturers instruct their customers to line up their original prints against the edge of the scanning bed. This alignment is usually indicated by arrows situated in the top left or right corner of your scanner bed. This is not a good idea! Scanners suffer from falloff at the edges. What? I hear you ask, is falloff. Falloff is a term that refers to the ability of digital capture hardware to resolve detail at the edges of an image. Therefore, in order to capture maximum detail over the entire surface area of your print, place your print in the centre of the scanning bed.
2. Once the scan of your print has completed, you will be prompted to save the file you have created. Scanning software is usually set to save your file in the JPEG format by default. I strongly recommend that when working with or saving any digital image, that you forget JPEG forever. Yeah, that's what I said, forever. The JPEG format compresses the data in your digital file. Every time you make changes to the file and re-save, more and more data is lost. The option to save your file in a lossless format such as RAW or TIF depends on your scanner software. Using these formats will ensure that you capture maximum data without worrying about loss. Here again I point you to Vuescan, which allows saving your scan in both TIF and RAW formats.
3. Whether your scanning a black and white print or colour, always scan in RGB or colour mode. Scanning a black and white print in RGB mode gives you three channels of data, Red-Green-Blue. Each of these channels carries 8bits of data giving you 24bits total, as opposed to just 8bits for a monotone scan.
4. Scanning in RGB also helps when you open your file in your editing software. Often, damage such as stains, grease or ink on a print can be eliminated quickly. By simply by deleting the channel carrying the the offending data you can save a ton of time and effort. But all that is for another tutorial in the coming weeks.

Until next time

Tutorial 1: Step 2, Prep for Scanning.

1. Clean the platen glass of your Flatbed. Be sure to take care with this and follow the manufacturers instructions. Use a lint free cloth for this task. I get mine from the local optician.
2. Clean the print, or not. Cleaning an original print is a risky business to say the least. Before you do, be sure to make a scan first, just in case disaster strikes. First remove dust and dirt by blowing. Do not use your mouth as this could add saliva stains onto your print. I use a rocket blower, which does a fantastic job.
3. If you have Stains on your print there is the possibility of using a solution, such as PEC-12, use PEC pads to gently wipe away stains. Make sure you test an unimportant part of the print first. This is a highly risky procedure and if you are in any doubt, DO NOT TRY IT.
4. To prevent extra work in your editing application, be sure to line up the print nice and straight. Click the preview button and crop the image.
5. Once the preview image is on the screen, feel free to make any tonal or colour adjustments you feel are necessary. I prefer not to, as Photoshop is a far more competent beast when dealing with these parameters than any scanner manufacturers software. However, there are some competent third party software packages such as the one I mentioned earlier Vuescan, which delivers exceptional results.
6. I cannot stress enough, how careful you should be when handling original prints, especially if they are not your own. Avoid the obvious, such as placing greasy prints all over them. Keep them out of reach of kids and pets. Keep drinks and food out of your work area. Do not leave your prints lying around in strong sunlight for extended periods.

This has been a very brief overview of the steps necessary to produce an optimal scan result, which in turn will give you the best possible start in your editing application. If you require a deeper insight into the subject, then please check either Katrin Eismann's Restoration and Retouching or Scantips.

That's it for now folks, remember, if you follow these guidelines, you do so at your own risk, and I will not be held responsible for any subsequent damage to your prints or yourself.

Until next time

Tutorial 1: Step1, Prep for Scanning.

First, Stop. Think. What is it I want as an end result? It is critical that before you begin your scan, you first know what you want at the end of your restoration. You should know

1. What kind of output device (printer) you will use. This will be determined either by, the intended use of the restoration or budget, or both.
2. Scanning resolution. For prints that are larger than 6" x 4" set the resolution to 300 dpi. Smaller photos will require scanning at 600 dpi. Negatives at 1200 dpi. These are very ball park figures, but they work. Scanning is a science, if you want to know more please visit Wayne Fulton's site, Scantips.
3. The standard is to aim for a 300dpi, which is considered optimal for printer output. But, the higher the resolution of the scan, the more data you have available to you in your image editing application. You can always change a high dpi to a lower one before sending your file to the printer.
4. Never scan beyond the true optical resolution of your scanner. Doing so is instructing the scanner to interpolate existing data. Interpolation means the scanner is looking at surrounding pixels in the image and stealing that data to come up with a best guess at what the enlarged image should look like.
5. Bit-Depth. This refers to the number of shades of gray your scanner can capture. The higher the Bit-Depth the higher the tonal range of the scan. The differences between high and low Bit-Depth scanning will be evident in detail present in the highlights and shadows. So, go for high, but remember, the higher the bigger the resulting file.

To be Continued

Until next time

Photo restoration resources

So far, we have looked at the necessary tools required for the job of restoring. We have pondered on why we should even bother to restore photographs in the first place. These are essential elements, but nowhere near as important as the knowledge required to apply the tools.

If you are already familiar with an editing software application, then adapting what you know to the restoration process will be a fairly painless transition. The learning you undertake will require you to apply familiar tools in unfamiliar ways.

The field of digital photographic restoration, whilst not new, has very few reliable learning resources. Those resources that exist in book form, can be tricky to get hold of or costly. Here are three books concerned with photo restoration, only one of which I have read and used with great success and stunning results.

Photoshop Restoration and Retouching-by Katrin Eismann

This publication now in its 3rd edition, is a real gem for the budding restorer. Step by step, Eismann exposes the critical techniques required to restore photographic prints at all stages of degradation. I have found this book to be thorough and authoritative on the subject, whilst being accessible to all. The book is supported by a web-site with frequent updates and a readers gallery.

Digital restoration from start to finish-by Ctein

Although I have not read this book, I have heard good things about its content and approach to the subject.

Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible-Mark Fitzgerald

This book has received a mixed response. Some readers claim the book is very useful, whilst others claim that it lacks direction and covers the subject very loosely. I'll update this once I get my hands on a copy.

Update: I have had the chance of flicking through the book now, and it seems that 90% is dedicated to standard Photoshop techniques. Whilst this is not a bad thing, those hoping for a Bible for the restorer will be disapointed.

There is a very useful web resource for those wanting to learn more on the subject of photo restoration. www.retouchpro.com has a very active forum and tutorials available to everyone.

If you know of a resource that should be added to the list please let me know.

Until next time

Why restore photos at all ?

Since the time when humans first began cave painting, we have felt compelled to record our experiences, memories and environment. For Millennia we relied on this graphical form of communication, due largely, to a lack of standard written languages. Even the earliest written languages were pictorial in form, such as Egyptian Hieroglyphics or the enigmatic Phaistos Disc.

Over the centuries we developed new ways of creating images, and discovered new uses for those Images. Archeologists broadly agree that the purpose of these earliest paintings was something other than decorative, perhaps communicative or ritualistic.

As we evolved, so did our use for images. Our aesthetic awareness developed rapidly and our desire to record for the sake of posterity became unstoppable. So, from pigment on stone, then oil on canvas and light captured on negative film, we have had the desire, the need, to remember what the minds eye fails to contain.

And so it is, that we are riding high on the cusp of the digital age, with the promise of digital images that will easily outlast the media we store them on. Those early cave paintings have been preserved, and in many cases restored. So have the great oil masterpieces that capture and entrance their audiences.

So, what about our memories and history captured by the pioneers of the photographic arts? And lets not forget uncle Bob's holiday snaps from Bognor, 1967? All these captured moments, reproduced on a staggering variety of early photographic papers and other mediums, were destined to degrade and fade over the span of a few decades.

Photographic prints are the caretakers of our cultural heritage, family history, key historical events, our achievements, failures, development and societal evolution.

There is an urgency to all of this. With every moment that passes, the moments we have preserved in photographs are becoming faded and damaged beyond recognition. These are the reasons why I believe, it is time to restore and preserve our photographic record of perhaps the most important era of humankind's development.

Until next time

Before you begin photo restoration work.

Being prepared and having the right tools for the job is essential for getting the most from an aged or damaged photograph. Perhaps the most important, and least expensive of these tools are patience and attention to fine detail. A restoration can take anywhere from a couple of hours to several days, dependent on the level of damage or degradation. Even upon completion of a project it is not uncommon to want to go back and refine the image further.

Although the prospect of several days working on a single photograph may sound daunting, the truth is that it's highly rewarding. When you have taken an image from unrecognisable to the living room wall, the feeling of accomplishment and pride in your work is inestimable. Further to this, if you have completed the work for a client, friend or family member, their gratitude and feedback is priceless.
So, what about the other tools you ask? That is dependent on your budget to some degree. You will need editing software, a scanner and an input device such as a pen.
Software can range in price from free to re-mortgage the house. Perhaps the best free editing software is GIMP. GIMP is a full featured image editing software with millions of users and regular updates and it's absolutely free. As with most image editing software there is a learning curve, however the GIMP has a full range of tutorials and a very active user forum.
I have a preference for Adobe software applications. Photoshop is the industry leader in image editing software and the choice of professional's. There is a very high price tag for the software, however, Photoshop Elements shares many of the features of its big brother for a fraction of the price.
The availability and range of scanners available is mind boggling. There are different kinds of scanners such as, flatbed, drum, slide or sheet bed, but the most common is Flatbed. Most of the available consumer options are feature rich and reasonably priced.
Be aware when purchasing a scanner that the optical resolution of the scanner is critical. The resolution is expressed as a number, for example 300x600. In each case the smaller number is always the scanners real optical resolution. Worth noting, when considering a scanner is its bit depth. Bit depth is the scanners ability to capture information on a pixel by pixel level and is particularly important for colour images. When I started restoring photographs I was using an Epson Perfection 4490. This consumer scanner, although a little pricey, is an excellent investment if your just starting out.
Your scanner will usually come with it's own software, however most are limiting in their application. Therefore I recommend a third party option such as Vuescan. This software allows complete control over your input and output settings.
Finally, you will need to ditch your mouse. In my experience a mouse is cumbersome and very tiring over long periods. A mouse also lacks accuracy. Therefore a more restorer friendly device is required.
For a long time Wacom Tablets were beyond the financial reach of the majority of consumers. Eventually though Wacom realised the error of it's ways and released a range of tablets for everyone. The Wacom Bamboo range is a godsend for tired wrists everywhere. This input device responds to pressure applied through the supplied pen and picked up by the tablet itself, allowing for exceptional accuracy.
Well, that's it on tools for the moment. I'm happy to respond to any comments or questions you may have.

Until next time

Photo restoration for all from MemRestore.

Here on the MemRestore blog you will have the opportunity to learn new techniques and approaches that will help and guide you when trying your own hand at restoring or enhancing photographs. You may become inspired to turn your hobby into a business as I have done here at MemRestore or in Finnish language at KuvaTohtori .

Once the blog is up and running with enough followers and subsribers, I will announce a Competition with a chance for three of you to have one of your photgraphs restored by me. I have yet to decide on the form the competition will take, but me and the wife are working to make it interesting and rewarding.

1st place prize: Full restoration with Extreme damage

2nd place prize: Restoration with Intermediate damage

3rd Place Prize: Restoration with Light damage

In my next post I will begin with looking at the type of equiptment is needed to make restoring photographs as comfortable and painless as possible.

Whatever your reason for finding your way here I hope you will subscribe to the blog ( which gives you the chance to enter the competition ) and check back regularly for some great insights into restoring fading memories.


Until next time.

And now for something completely different!

I have decided that once a week ill add something way off the track to the blog. I want to give you something to ponder, laugh about, cry about, to share, or even discuss. Today I want you to meet Dan. Dan is a guy with a very important question. Are you happy?

You cant fail to be affected by this guys enthusiasm for his chosen subject and the subject itself. If you can not see this video, see it here.

Well readers, are you happy?

Until next time