My customer John G wanted to get his grandfather with his two brothers together in a single photograph with a Scottish background.
Here are the three individual photographs and below the final result
Here’s the review John left for me on Yell.com
“Please accept my wonderful thanks for the restored colour job you did to the photo of my late grandfather and his two brothers.
I often get asked to reproduce family photograph albums so that various members of the family can share the family history.
I was asked by Moira to recreate an important family photo album so that both she and her sister could have a copy of the book with the historic photographs and handwritten descriptions.
Below is the original and the new lay-flat photobook I created.
Moira said “My sister and I are just glad that we have this marvelous record to share and that you could bring it back to life for us”
Old album and new photobook
Moira told me
“My father signed up for his national service because the Essex Regiment were going to be posted to India. He had a place a medical school but deferred it to go to India. He loved it there, a complete culture shock from Chingford. The army taught him to drive, allowed him to play hockey and he was upset to leave India having fostered a dog there that he had to leave. My father was a doctor so army life was far from ideal but he appreciated the opportunity he was given and never forgot his time there. He was a keen photographer and you can see the care he took to display each photograph and carefully write an inscription.”
I found a very small framed old photograph of one of my family members with his family and wanted to see the man more clearly so I restored that section of the photograph that is just (1.5cm x 2.5cm) which I’ve printed A4 and it looks very good! Above is a photograph of the original photo alongside the A4 print. Below is the restored file.
I received an enquiry from Debbie Summers of Acorn Framing in Bognor Regis asking if I could restore a very poor computer print photograph of a soldier she has been asked to frame with the soldier’s medals as a tribute for their family history.
Here is the before and after
Debbie then suggested that her customer added a nameplate with the details and also a genuine cap badge to go into the frame too. This was agreed and Debbie supplied these.
Here is the finished article
A photo tells a 1000 words….
A much faded photo in an old album of photographs of a child born in April 1918 shows that little girl, Hylda, clutching a much loved toy monkey
called Jacko.
Hylda gazed at the photo and recalled that as a small child she listened to the minister of her church in Kingkerswell urging all the children to give a treasured toy as a present to children who would otherwise not receive a Christmas toy. Full of good intentions Hylda gave Jacko away.
Her feelings of good will and self sacrifice lasted a day after which she spent many hours in tears for the loss of her beloved Jacko! Imagine her delight when the beautifully restored photo of Hylda and Jacko came as a special birthday card celebrating her 100th birthday…
Hylda enjoyed wonderful celebrations with her family, and friends and the story of Jacko was once again shared! The photo and the many others now restored remain as memories for
both Hylda and her family
We are increasingly asked to provide our new lay-flat photobooks by people who have a collection of photographs that they want to both preserve and also share with others. Here is the feedback we received from Harry W when he received his photobook.
“I had been waiting for a long time to get my photographs of a wonderful trip to the Middle East put into a photobook but, as there were some 100 photographs, I really had no idea how best to deal with it.
I then had some photographs restored by Richard and they were so impressive that I asked him if he could make the book for me. He went to as great deal of trouble to send me miniature sheets of the photographs so that I could choose what to use and what to leave out, what I wanted to print as large copies and those that could be best fitted in as smaller ones.
When I received the final book, I was delighted and described the whole exercise as a masterpiece. It will be a family heirloom and a joy to continue to look at.”
Photographs are by far the best way you have to remember your own special times and your family history. Have you got a collection of really special photographs that stay tucked away and that you never look at?
Here’s a perfect way for you to easily change that. Let me put together for you your own personalised lay-flat photo book album and create for you a unique keepsake that you will treasure forever!
I can help you at every stage of the process, including scanning your photographs, optimising them to reduce fading and correct the colours, putting the photo book together with titles and captions if required and even sending you an online virtual proof of the book, for you to approve before it’s printed.
Our new lay-flat premium photo book offers a truly professional finish. The photo books are digitally printed on heavy weight 216gsm premium silk paper and then sewn bound for added permanence. The outer cover can also be printed and then gloss laminated for protection. This is a substantial book that far superior to many other photobooks you may have seen.
The lay-flat albums use a unique hinge which allows for the continuous flow of images over a spread, with almost no central image loss.
Also available is a black tissue-lined presentation box, ideal if the photo book is being given as a gift.
You will then have a wonderful photographic record of all your memories to enjoy and share with others as well as something that will last forever.
So take the first step now! Look out those precious photographs and select the ones that will go in your photo book and get in touch with me by phone or email if you have any queries or anything you’d like to discuss in more detail.
With Christmas now on the horizon here are some ideas for a unique gift that’s ideal for those who can be tricky to find something a bit different.
Here just a few examples of the many ways I can transform your photographs….
If you have a photograph that has faded in its frame, it can be restored and re-coloured.
Two or more photographs can be combined and you can choose the people you want in the finished photo
Family groups can be ‘adjusted’ to include or exclude people!
Couples can finally be together in the same photograph.
Snapshots of pets can be made into portraits or montages
Treasured photographs that have suffered years of damage can be restored to their original state.
Combine a favourite photograph with a more interesting background.
Create a family montage from a selection of favourite photographs
Not sure which photos to use but can see the potential?
A Photographs Forever Gift Voucher of any value could be the answer.
I received this message from Irene after I has restored her photograph and I was quite touched –
“Thank you so much for your recent work which was excellent as usual. The photograph you restored fits beautifully into the frame and looks wonderful surrounded by a verse from one of my favourite songs. No apologies for the sentimental nature of the words! I’ve sent you a copy so you can see the end result.
There were some lovely surprises with the negatives. Some photographs I have never seen before and others have not been seen by the family for years. I have no idea who the people playing football are! I have included several of the photographs in my writing – which is nearly finished by the way.”
Always very gratifying to receive this kind of message.
There is no better way to remember all the great times in life than through the photographs you have from the past, present and future. Previous generations have very few photographs compared with the number we have today. Photographs are so important yet they often remain locked inside our phones or packed away in a box.
So make the most of your photographs. Here are 8 tips….
