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Old photo's

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  • 18-06-2012 11:00am
    #1
    binxeo
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I posted this in the photography section too, just wondering if anyone here might be able to help!!

    I got a chart today with photographs of my ancestors on it. The chart itself dates from around 1903, and I am not sure when the photos were taken but probably a few years earlier as the people in them died in the late 1800's and they look young enough in the photos. The condition of the photos in my opinion is not bad given their age but I was wondering if there would be anyway of restoring them.

    The tricky part is that they are glued onto this chart and removing them would most likely damage the chart itself. I don't want to damage this for obvious reasons it is over 100 years old and beautiful. So does anyone know of anyone who would be around the Mullingar/ Westmeath/Meath area that might be able to restore the photos for me??

    Thanks for all help. smile.gif

    Also once I get the photos restored if possible, I want to get the chart itself framed. It has been folded in the past and is quiet delicate would there be anyone around the area I mentioned above that could do this for me?


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    #2
    shanew
    Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭shanew


    I would start with preservation - and scan, or photograph as much of the chart and photos as you can. Maybe in sections depending on size..

    It might be possible to carry out some repairs on the scans of the photos. All depends on how much detail has been lost.


    Shane


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    #3
    binxeo
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭binxeo


    shanew wrote: »
    I would start with preservation - and scan, or photograph as much of the chart and photos as you can. Maybe in sections depending on size..

    It might be possible to carry out some repairs on the scans of the photos. All depends on how much detail has been lost.


    Shane

    Yeh the only problem with scanning is that the sheet itself is about A2 size if not bigger and my scanner is only A4 size so I don't think I can scan the photo's but I will be photographing it for myself. I might take a pic and put it up so it is easier to see what I am talking about. It is a great find and I am so proud to have it. I just want to look after it now!!


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    #4
    pjproby
    Registered Users Posts: 842 ✭✭✭pjproby


    photograph them with a digital camera. there are plenty of programmes to help
    to help you crop and isolate parts of the photo. alternatively only photograph
    parts of the original and crop each part as you wish. Picasa does all that fairly well.
    the 'i'm feeling lucky tool' in Picasa dramatically improved a photo for me from 1890 as an example.


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    #5
    shanew
    Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭shanew


    If you can can do the photograph/scan/join then you could drop in any photos that are restored, also you could get a high quality printout of the result to frame, and store the original out harms way.. e.g. UV, accidental damage etc..

    I have digitized maps much bigger than my scanner - takes a number of scans, and a fair bit of work in your photo editor rotating and cropping the images to line everything up perfectly, but it's possible..



    S.


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    #6
    binxeo
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭binxeo


    shanew wrote: »
    If you can can do the photograph/scan/join then you could drop in any photos that are restored, also you could get a high quality printout of the result to frame, and store the original out harms way.. e.g. UV, accidental damage etc..

    I have digitized maps much bigger than my scanner - takes a number of scans, and a fair bit of work in your photo editor rotating and cropping the images to line everything up perfectly, but it's possible..



    S.

    Thanks for advice. I am just scared of handling the original too much, it is very fragile as it is and if I try to start scan it and moving it every which way it is not going to help it. Kinda why I wanted to get a professional to do it. I am too wary to attempt manipulating it and moving it in case I damage it even more.

    @ pj...I don't have the best photographic equipment here so thanks for you suggestion but I don't think that would work.


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    #7
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    Good advice from PJP in post #4 above. The task is far less complicated than it sounds. If the chart paper is brittle it probably would crack/break/tear when scanning. I would photograph the images in ordinary light with a digital camera - you do not need a hitech digital camera to obtain an acceptable image – the camera on an iPhone is more than adequate. Many re-touch programs are free, most are very easy to use; the important thing is to save the originals in one folder and then copy/past copies of the images into another for the retouch process.



    I got better as I progressed and went back and re-did my earlier efforts:o


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    #8
    binxeo
    Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭binxeo


    pedroeibar1 wrote: »
    Good advice from PJP in post #4 above. The task is far less complicated than it sounds. If the chart paper is brittle it probably would crack/break/tear when scanning. I would photograph the images in ordinary light with a digital camera - you do not need a hitech digital camera to obtain an acceptable image – the camera on an iPhone is more than adequate. Many re-touch programs are free, most are very easy to use; the important thing is to save the originals in one folder and then copy/past copies of the images into another for the retouch process.



    I got better as I progressed and went back and re-did my earlier efforts:o

    It is really good advice but I don't have a good digital camera and def can't afford an iphone, so as good an idea as it is I can't do it unfortunately :(


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    #9
    tenterfields
    Registered Users Posts: 45 ✭tenterfields


    If you don't feel you can do the photography yourself, you could check with a local professional photographer. I'm sure a pro would be willing to photograph the pictures and give you a file you could then work on yourself.


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