Photo restoration is a creative process that is being used to repair old photos as well as to restore photographs that have been damaged. In older times, the restoration of old photos would need a lot of skills from professionals, but today, since computers and sophisticated software have been invented, restoring and retouching photos are now easy to do. Practically, anybody with basic knowledge in using the computer can do blemish and scratch removal from old photos. Anyone may also be able to restore vibrant colors of the original pictures.

Basically, people would want to retouch photos which have dim lighting or if someone in the picture has glowing bright red eyes. Most computers now adays have digital photo restoration software installed which enables users to do photo touch-ups. Even amateurs are capable of restoring digital photographs in just a matter of minutes just by choosing the “quick fix’” option as well as tweaking the results, when necessary.

 

There are some photographs that require the help of a professional when restoring them, but when the need arises you need not panic; most graphic artists are very skilled in restoring photos. A good graphic artist is capable of retouching photographs, he or she can remove people from the shot that you would want to get erased. The graphic artist may also be able to add natural-looking colors to a black and white photo.

 

The technique that most professional graphic artists use in retouching photos is called airbrushing which can soften skin tones as well as remove wrinkles and blemishes in a photographic portrait. A professional photo restoration job would be able to make a model look tanner, thinner, bustier. The artist may also change the models eye color.

 

There are some graphic artists who specialize in working on difficult photo restoration projects, which include photos with large portions that are damaged or missing. In such instance, the artist will first scan the damaged photo in order to create a digital copy in jpeg format. He or she will then use professional software, which include PhotoShop®, Adobe Illustrator® and Adobe®, to enhance the faded or damaged areas as well as remove blemishes.  Once the restoration is completed, the photo will then be printed on a photography paper in an improved state. The damaged photo will be returned to the client.

 

There are old pictures that hold sentimental value to the owner that a digital picture cannot replace. In such cases, photo restoration experts use manual techniques in order to restore the old photo directly. Most fine art galleries hire these kinds of photo restoration experts in order to restore antique photographs and tintypes.

 

The manual process is very hard to do and it usually takes a lot of time. The first step involves the careful cleaning of the photo as well as patching of any torn area. Then the paper will be pressed for a period of time in order to reduce the appearance of creases and cracks. After which, the damaged portions will be retouched using a fine painter’s hand with special attention given to the original color and lighting to be matched.  Given this extensive process, a photo restorer may be able to create significant improvement on the old photo depending on the damage that it has incurred overtime.

 

If you some old photos which you want to get digitized or scanned or restored yet you do not have the time and the software to do it yourself, feel free to check out ScanCorners’ professional artists and the services that they offer.