Here are two restorations I completed recently.
A distracting background changed for a more appropriate one
….and a very small, badly damaged oval photograph that’s now been printed 12″ x 9″
Here’s what my customer Sheila B said “Thank you Richard for restoring the very old and battered photo of my mum you made a beautiful job of it I’m so thrilled forever grateful”
Here are a couple of examples of photographs we altered recently to make special photographs even more special.
The photo below was taken in a ski resort but with a fence as a background, I added the ski resort.
Below are the two original photographs, with favourite photos both with portaloos in the background!
So I took the best portrait of each person and put them together on a background of the favourite walk they used to take together.
A lovely reminder of good times.
I recently restored and manipulated an image of Cookie the Pekingese at Crufts so that he could continue to have a presence.
Here’s the original photograph and the finished version
Here’s owner Pauline’s story:
Back in January of this year, the day I feared most came along and I had to say goodbye to Cookie after the most amazing 14 years. Although small in actual size, his presence was huge and the kitchen, despite having other Pekingese around, felt so empty. I wanted a picture of my boy in his prime, here he is in the show ring at Crufts in 2009 where he was awarded a 2nd place in a very strong class.
The original photograph had to be cropped a great deal and did not have the resolution I needed for the splash-back project, but with Richard’s magic, he got us there.
Now Cookie (or Corges Mr Cocky – his KC Show name) is back in the kitchen, with the vantage point he always wanted, he can see what is cooking!!
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
This fantastic photograph of a Victor V Bomber refueling English Electric Lightnings over the Niagara Falls is one that I had the pleasure to restore and colourise recently. I found the correct colouring of all the aircraft from technical drawings I found on Google Images.
I received this photograph as four photographs stuck together and folded as that was the best way with the technology of the time. When it was restored I printed a 40inch wide print.
Here’s the story….
“The Cuillins is a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye, we spent many happy family holidays on Skye when I was a child and my Dad, George Smith who was a very talented amateur photographer, spent years perfecting his panorama of “the Cuillins” as we used to call them, he unfortunately passed away in 2015 and we recently went through some of the many images he had painstakingly crafted over the years, including this one which was in fairly bad condition having been folded up & stored in a box in a damp sitting room in a French Farmhouse for the last 10 years; I love this image as it brings back so many wonderful memories of my Dad and the fun we used to have on Skye in the shadow of the Cuillin, I am so grateful to Richard for the amazing restoration and for enabling such a precious memory to be recovered and displayed once again in its full glory.”
I recently received this photograph which had been kept in a photo frame and the entire top surface of the photo had come away from its paper backing and so the image consisted of a large number of very frail flakes that would have blown away in the slightest draught!
It was an important photo and so I was able to digitally painstakingly put it back together and with the help of two other photographs from the same customer I as able to use the persons eyes and add a complete dog!
Here’s the finished photo:
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.
