Why do people want photographs restoring and colouring?

[Handypandy]

What an interesting topic this turned out to be

The irony I suppose is that, one way or another, images have always and still are to an even greater extent, enhanced or manipulated in one way or another. From dodging and burning in the darkroom to companies like Kodak manipulating film emulsion dependant on the intended market.

Today, I doubt that anyone has ever seen a professional photograph or movie that hasn't previously  been in post production.

[dowdstree]

I posted a query back in October asking for confirmation of when an old photograph had been taken.

Much to my surprise and delight it was also restored by Loord74  Handypandy  and McGroger.

I can never thank those three enough for bringing out the detail in a faded family photo. It meant so much to me for personal reasons.

The original is still intact so no damage done.

Dorrie

[[Ray]]

Hi

I love seeing my GrandParents (et al) in colour, it means that they are more real.

Even if the colour(s) may be slightly awry.

They (people) were not sepia-coloured in real life.

All those men's knitted no-sleeves jumpers from the 1940's / 1950's I'd love to see what the real colour-mixes were.
Paired with extra-long grey Worsted shorts and socks, of course!

 

[gaffy]

Interesting question Martin, I was delighted that kind folk on the forum colourised a 1928 photo of my father as a baby, together with a photo of that photo at the foot of a Christmas tree on the occasion of his very first Christmas in that year, you can see the results here:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=650456.0

Notwithstanding that the colours will not all be correct, the colourisation lends something new and wonderful to the photos (especially the Christmas tree photo), the only rationale I can clutch is that I think in colour.  Whatever the science, I can remember that my emotional reaction was one of feeling the hairs rise on my neck when I first saw them.

[SusieK]

The main reason I fix my photos is to get a better look at people I didn't know.

My mother was given a picture of her grandparents, who she never knew. It was a lovely photo but  had a huge crease down through both people and her grandfather had lost most of his waistcoat. It was also a bit dark and their features weren't very clear.

Recently I fixed the crease and gave my great grandfather back his waistcoat, lightened the photo a bit and the difference was amazing. He was the image of one of my brothers! Same features, same build, same quirky smile. Probably the same colouring, but it's difficult to tell. It explained where that brother got his looks from -  he is stocky and blond while the rest of us are slim and dark.

We had never noticed the similarity before, mainly I think because the damage to the photo was distracting and the features were hidden in the gloom. We still have the original, but now we also have one where the people can be seen clearly.

[Trishanne]

I have just seen this post which I find very interesting and love the comments made not only by the restorers, but by the people requesting restores too.
I find when restoring photos many little things which were not obvious before, such as jewellery and wedding rings which had been lost in the dust and scratches on the original photos.
It is so interesting to see an image emerge from the murky original or from a newspaper image of a lost relative. It is wonderful to be able to hand the clearer image back to the poster. They always have the original image as a before and after photo to keep.
If people weren't happy with the results they are getting from programmes such as this, they wouldn't post them.  I am only too happy to turn off the TV and try to work some magic into the photos they do post and I hope will continue to post
Pat.

[Wiggy]

I post photos because I want to see the original more clearly - but I always keep the original.

And I like my photos left in the original colours - only because that's how they were taken - for nno other reason.  I've had some wonderful restorations done here over the years.

Wiggy 

[Lisajb]

My most recent ask was a photo of my mum in law as a child. The original had a few spots and marks. Mum in law died at the end of February, it was a comfort to her family to have the picture restored and coloured. There are some skilled and talented people on the photo board, and I thank all of them for their skill and kindness.

[Lisa in California]

I've noticed that when creases and tears are removed from photos in which I am trying to find clues, that I can concentrate on the subject in the photo, rather than being distracted by the marks. This is an example (no need to read the text in the thread - just looking at the original photo and touched up photo is what I am pointing out)   
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=790859.0

While I treasure the originals, after having several photographs coloured, twice we noticed things in the photographs that previously were lost within the larger details. 

While I feel that the sepia tone is beautiful on our old photographs, perhaps because we don't view life in sepia, I think that adding colour makes our ancestors similar to how we view living people and to me it makes the photographs come to life a bit.  I treasure the original photo, but sometimes having a coloured version is nice to have as well.