Photo restoration is the practice of restoring a photograph which has been damaged or affected by age.
Types of restoration
Photo restoration may be effective in removing or masking the following flaws:
- Discoloration (such as yellowing) of the photographic paper due to age and chemical reaction (ie acid)
- Discoloration of the print due to fading
- Dust and hair visible on the photograph
- Scratches or tears on the print
- Blotches or spots caused by bacteria or mold
Digital photo restoration
Digital photo restoration uses digital image editing techniques to remove visible damage and aging effects from photographs. Software such as Adobe Photoshop or The GIMP are typically used. Blemishes are removed from the photograph manually, by painting over them meticulously. Unwanted color casts are removed and the image's contrast or sharpening may be altered in an attempt to restore some of the contrast range or detail that is believed to be in the original image.
Adding color to black and white photos
Photo restoration may involve adding color to black-and-white photos or re-applying colorization which had previously been applied using earlier techniques.
