How Do I Rescue an Old Photo?

Have you ever stumbled upon a forgotten photo tucked away in a dusty box or hidden within the pages of an old and dusty book? Or maybe while cleaning the attic, you unearthed a faded image that sparked a flood of memories? You pause, your mind may go back in time, or time seems to stop.

This happened to me, and I knew that I had to do something to preserve the memory I discovered beyond the fragile paper original.

So, I started thinking. How would any of us rescue an old photo like this. What woud I tell you if you found one, and I came up with a seriously good solution you might want to consider.

Let me tell you how the adventure started!

I discovered, carefully preserved inside a book, an old photograph of Dash Kitten, the blog’s Founder Cat. I was thrilled to see it, and I had forgotten all about it until that moment. It was, thankfully, flat but had a bit of surface damage as well as a slightly yellow tint from my litte compact camera’s white balane.

The image was at least nine years old and it held some lovely memories. It is one of the rare full-face portraits I have of Dash Kitten.

• How could I restore the photo so I could share it with Dash’s many friends who still remember him with so much affection?

I wanted to adjust the portrait so it was look fresh and bright. It deserved to be more than a slightly discoloured and damaged photograph with uneven white balance but how?

I had to admit that the image needed work and even with my photo skills, I decided to call in professional help in the form of a local photography shop. I decided that I wanted a high quality digital scan as well as a good quality print, neither of which I could create at home.

A Print Bureau Can Revive Your Photo

Yes, I know, you can scan your image and then spend a lot of time repairing surface scratches and sharpening the image yourself. If you have the time, and the photo software, and a good photo scanner – which I don’t have.

If you are like me, you reach a point that regardless of your skills you need to refer to those with more expertise than yourself.

What I did was go to a local photography bureau here in Lower Hutt, Camera House. They are a long established print house that are busy dealing with the recent surge in popularity of film cameras and development. Shops or franchises within larger shops are mushrooming everywhere thanks to film’s return to popularity so check your closes one online.

You probably have your own treasured memento hidden in a corner somewhere. A photo of you and your first cat, you as a small child on the beach, or a formal wedding photo of your Mum or Grandma looking their beautiful best. They are fragile paper and can fade so easily. But, with the help of professionals, you can breath life into these important pieces of family history.

Film cameras are very much a thing. I was given a Kodak Ektar H35 for Christmas which I will be exploring over the coming months!

My Renewed Photo of Dash Kitten

The digital image of Dash was returned to me a few days ago by email and, as you can see, the results are excellent.

The surface damage on the original has been removed and the picture looks as good as new. I have so few images of Dash Kitten that if I find one it is important for me to preserve the memories as best I can. I am so happy I found it and got help rescuing the image and I suggest you consider it to. Expert help can make a real difference.

It also, on a positive note has allowed me to start doing something Bode’s Mom Sylvia suggested I do several years ago, which is make a tribute to Dash.

How Do you Work with a Photo Bureau?

Involving a photo bureau to revive an older photo is an investment of your time and money. They will be able to ‘repair’ your original by creating a perfect copy with no bent corners then return the original and any copies to you.

• A bureau can brighten or adjust colours or sharpen tones for a black and white image.

If you are not sure how to approach a local bureau, make a list of what you would like them to do. Maybe you want them to repair a digital image and print you a couple of copies? Make a list of things you might like then get a local business to quote you for the work. You will be supporting a company in your local community and be able to ring them up if you need to for advice.

If you are in a more isolated area, research online for the requirements of a bureau who work by post. Again be specific about what you want and be very particular about the safety of your image in transit to them and back to you. Look for recommendations. A company that has lots of happy customers not just one or two (which could be friends boosting friends). Research is essential if youwant to ensure you get good service.

You may not be able to stop time, but you can preserve and share precious memories with a little bit of help, just like Dash and I.

Oh my new film camera? Here’s a picture of it.