Heirloom Photographs

Photographs are our special links to the past. Events are moments in time that quickly come and go - birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. But a picture can hold a memory that will last for many lifetimes - if properly taken care of. BrightBits provides a wide range of Heirloom services to help you preserve, restore and display your family treasures for generations to come. In this section of the gallery, you will see many examples of the restoration process. You will also find useful information to help you preserve your heirloom photos and other memorabilia for future generations.

What is Restoration?

To start with, restoration is not reparation. Damaged, faded or stained photos cannot be repaired, at least not with the techniques that I use or for the prices that I charge. A conservator may be able to repair a damaged (but not a faded photo), but at considerable cost.

The restoration process does not alter the original photo in any way. The original is scanned and digitally manipulated using a computer program. Then a new copy is printed using archive-quality pigment inks on a high-resolution printer. The computer software allows for a very fine level of control over the editing of the image. The digital editing process, combined with special printer inks, results in a very natural looking print.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Photos

Time and circumstances often seem to conspire against our old photos. However, old black and white pictures have remarkable staying power. Often by sheer good luck, a daguerreotype or albumen print will make it past the century mark in excellent shape.

Black and white prints are chemically quite stable and, if kept in a dry, dark and acid-free environment, will hold up well for decades. I recently completed a heritage album for my Mom, which consisted mostly of old black and white photos. Mom had kept most of them in a shoe box for the past 40 years or more, with minimal yellowing or fading. Most pictures aren't so lucky.

A bad photo album is worse than no photo album at all. Nowadays, we know that acid- and lignin-free paper is essential for the long term health of our pictures, along with acid-free adhesives. And don't get me started on those sticky "magnetic" albums. Acid and lignin cause yellowing and brittleness of the paper that the picture is printed on. These nasty chemicals can be present in the album paper, or even in the photo itself.

I do a lot of work with heirloom photos, and it breaks my heart every time I see that someone has written on one with a ballpoint pen. Bad, bad, bad!

Those old-fashioned black photo mounting corners also leave their mark over time, as black smudge-like stains on the photos that press up against them on facing pages.

Then there are the usual wears and tears - literally. Creases, dog ears, scratches, holes, and who-knows-what damage can occur over the years.

Luckily, today's high-tech digital darkroom can undo much of this damage. By printing on acid and lignin-free paper with pigment inks, your restored prints can last up to 200 years without noticeable fading. Plus, a digital copy can be archived on CD-ROM or DVD as additional backup.

"We Was Framed!"

Framing presents a unique challenge because when a picture is framed it creates a kind of micro-environment in which all sorts of nasty things can happen. Let's go over them now.

A framed picture is of course meant to be displayed, so it is out in the open. That means it is exposed to light. If direct sunlight hits the photo at any time then fading is bound to occur. Even if the picture is never in direct sunlight, over the years the exposed part of the photo will fade. This can usually be seen when the picture is finally removed from the frame (for example, when a customer brings it in for a reprint) and the exposed area is compared to the area that was covered by the edge of the frame.

» To help reduce fading, always frame pictures under glass. Special UV-filtering glass can be used in sunnier environments.

The biggest framing mistake that I see with heirloom photos is that the photograph is framed right up against the glass, with no "breathing space" between glass and picture. This is bad for two reasons. First, this allows moisture to build up between the photo and the glass and promotes mold and mildew. Secondly, eventually the photo will stick to the glass. Not only will it be impossible to remove the photo without damaging it, but it will also be impossible to scan the picture because the scanner will not be able to "read" the photo through the shiny glass surface. This is not a good situation.

» When framing your special photographs, always use a mat between the photo and glass.

The Gallery

This gallery houses examples of heirloom photographs that were digitally restored at BrightBits. Most of them are from my own family. Remember that digital restoration does not alter the original in any way.

» Use your restored copies for framing or scrapbooking, and keep the originals in an archive storage box. Digitally archive your images onto CD-ROM or DVD-ROM to additionally safeguard your unique heirloom treasures for generations to come.

To view the gallery items, just click on the description. Each page shows the before and after, along with a brief discussion of the restoration process.