restoring photo's

[DeeDee]

I was sent a bunch of really old photo's and would like to restore them. Some are faded, folded, torn etc. There are several of them. I guess I was wondering if it would be easier to (try) to repair them myself or to send out somewhere($$)?

Here is one of them...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/2656304722_90c1fecdf3_o.jpg

I also dont know how to use flickr and photobucket is down

[Dbl]

Are you talking digital restoration or actual photo restoration? I will assume the first with my response.

If you have the full blown Photoshop and are VERY familiar with layers and a few other advanced techniques go for it. You really have nothing to lose by trying.

I looked at the one photo you posted and did some tweaking and made it better than it was but not to complete restoration quality.

[DeeDee]

all I have is photoshop elements 6. So I probably cant do much right?

[Steve Foss]

Dee Dee, Dan is right. No harm in trying, and nothing lost but a little time if you don't like the results.

If you want your photos restored professionally, my wife, a partner in my business, has been a professional photo retoucher/restorer for years. We have a top-of-the-line drum scanner she uses to scan the original prints, and she is VERY picky about getting things just right when she restores them in photoshop. Cracked, spotted, stained, faded or torn photos are no problem.

Also, antique photos are her specialty. She has restored all the antique photos (scanned originals into digital files) for five pictoral history books.

Professional restoration is fairly pricy.

[DeeDee]

The only ones I have, have been scanned and emailed to me. I dont have the originals. There are a couple when my parents, grandparents and great grandparents were younger. I would really like to have them done. Can you ask her to send me an email with some info?

[Steve Foss]

I sent you an e-mail with some info, DeeDee.

[DeeDee]

THANKS

[JohnK]

It would certainly be easiest to send them to a pro to have it done, probably not cheap if you have a lot of them to do. I would try it myself if I were you. If PS Elements doesn't have the tools you need try downloading Paint Shop Pro X2, they have a free 30 day demo you can use. If you like it, it's only $79 to buy it.

Whatever you do back up the originals before you do anything to them!