Texas Country Designs
Let us restore and preserve your priceless family heirlooms.
Are your family memories fading away? Don't risk losing them forever. Let us put new life back into those memorable photos of long ago.
A restored family photo makes a wonderfully unique gift and an added treasure to your genealogy record or family heritage book. Restored photos are great for that special
scrapbooking project, too.
We use the latest state-of-the-art digital techniques and industry standard software to repair and restore your treasured photos.
Because we know how fragile and irreplaceable your cherished photos are we take the utmost care in handling them.
Pricing is determined by the extent of damage to the photo. Contact us for an estimate.
Restoration services available:
Preserving Yesterday’s Memories
By Sharon OdamFirst, a little about my background. I developed a really keen interest for taking pictures when I got to use my Mom’s old Brownie box camera to document my 4-H projects. I have been photographing professionally for a little over 30 years. I studied black and white and color photography, as well as posing and lighting techniques for portraits, at San Antonio College.
Another major interest I have had beginning at a very young age is that of genealogy. I always enjoyed looking through old family pictures. It made me sad to see how those images were slowly fading away. Sometimes it might be the only picture of an ancestor that would put a face with a name. The stories help to keep them alive for generations. Preserving old photos can often help answer questions of where “Suzie” got a particular facial feature, or that maybe they came from “Grandma So-and-So.”
The onset of the digital age made it possible for me to combine two loves, genealogy and photo restoration. If your old photos are like my families, they have probably been stored in trunks in the attic or maybe even a basement. Most photos have faded, been torn, scratched, or damaged by insects, but they don’t have to be lost forever. Let’s take a look at the major causes that may have deteriorated those old photos and what we can do to rescue them.
Light. This is the main reason that photos fade over time. The solution here would be to make copies for display and keep the originals protected and tucked away in a dark place.
Extreme Temperatures. High temperatures cause damage to the emulsion layer of the photo, which actually holds the image. Temperatures that can fluctuate between hot and cold, such as in an attic, cause the paper and emulsion of the photo to expand and contract, which then causes cracking and flaking. Do not store your photos near a furnace, dryer, or fireplace.
Humidity. Damp, moist conditions will encourage the growth of mold. Do not store your photos at floor level in case of flooding, whether from the weather or a broken water pipe.
Acid and Lignin. Lignin is a substance found in wood fibers of untreated paper that breaks down over time into acids that will harm photos and documents. Always look for supplies that are acid- and lignin-free. With the popularity of scrapbooking, numerous products that are acid-free have been developed (from paper to pens and everything in between).
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Plastics that contain PVC, which can break down and emit a gas, will cause photos to stick to the page, fade, and deteriorate quickly. Do not use the magnetic or no-stick albums, as these will cause photos to deteriorate faster.
Handling. Handle your photos and negatives carefully by the edges. If possible, wear clean cotton gloves to prevent the oils and salts from your hands leaving fingerprints or smudges. Do not use any kind of clips that would scratch the emulsion of the photo.
Labeling. Be sure to label your photos with the date, who is in the photo, where it was taken, and any other details that would be helpful. To do so, use an acid-free pen and write the information on the back of the photo; however, don’t press too hard or the pen indentation will show on the front. Documenting this information will tell the history of those old photos that you can share with your children when they want to know who the people are and what their connections are to them.
What You Can Do
You have this box of old photos with those memories just fading away. How do you go about restoring them? Digital imaging has become the choice method of photo preservation. It is best to start with an original slide or negative if possible, but usually all we have is just a photograph.
The first step is to make a high-resolution scan (not less than 300 dpi) of the original negative or photo. The resolution (image quality) will determine the size and clarity of the photo that you will print from the image. The higher resolution results in a larger file size, which can easily be 20–60MG that requires more RAM or memory on a computer. The average home computer does not have the resources to handle such enormous files. If you scan your own photos or have them done professionally, then be sure to make your original image a “read only” file so it will not get altered inadvertently. Always keep a backup copy in a separate location, such as a safe or even at “Aunt Suzie’s” home.
Photo restoration can be very intense and time consuming depending on the extent of damage to be repaired. Regardless of the cost or effort, it is well worth it to leave this legacy for future generations. By preserving those old photos of our ancestors, we give our children and grandchildren an understanding and appreciation of their roots and a true sense of family and belonging. I think that is something important to all of us.
What I Can Do
Let me ask you a question. Do you really want to spend the hours and energy sitting in front of a computer that is required to restore your old photos? Wouldn’t you rather be spending that time with your family? Contact me and let’s discuss how my skills and expertise can be of service to you. I use the latest state-of-the-art digital techniques and industry standard software to repair and restore old photos. I know how fragile and irreplaceable your cherished photos are and the utmost care is taken in handling them.
Remember, a restored family photo makes a wonderfully unique gift for a parent or grandparent, as well as an added treasure to your genealogy record or family heritage book.
tips on caring for your photographs.
