tracing family records | Photographs Forever

2020 has been a very unusual year in so many ways for all of us. One factor that has occurred to many of us is the importance of the family and close relationships as we have had time to reflect.

I will be moving to a smaller house soon and, as I have to get rid of quite a lot of ‘stuff’, it has occurred to me that when I look around the house to decide what’s precious, there really is very little that I couldn’t live without. Except photographs. Photographs are one of the very few things that can’t be replaced and they are therefore possibly our most important and valuable possession.

Because we have all had more time on our hands than usual, photograph collections that have been overlooked for years have finally been finding the light of day and getting them scanned and either optimised or fully restored has enabled these very special photographs to be enjoyed so much more.

So, if you haven’t checked out your own photograph collection yet, there is no better time than the cold dark winter months. Apart from anything else, it is actually a very enjoyable exercise. So make that diary note to do it. You’ll be glad you did.

There has been a very big increase in the number of photographs I have received because going through the masses of old family photographs is a job that is so often put off by many people due to lack of time and for these past few months have provided the time and the environment to tackle the task. It’s always much more fun than people expect. And the rewards are huge.

I am now very excited to be able to offer you a top quality bespoke framing service. This means I can offer custom size prints, mounts and frames to show off your restored photographs in the best way possible so they can receive the attention and admiration they deserve.

The most popular moulding is the solid wood satin black or mahogany with single or double mounts.

Satin Black Frame

Mahogany frame

I can also provide multi aperture frames – the one below is 20in x 16in with two landscape format 8in x 6in prints and two portrait format 5in x 7in prints. There are several multi aperture options available and the frames can be any size you choose. Heavier mouldings are available for larger sizes.

I can even show you what your photograph will look like before you order including all the relevant dimensions. This is particularly useful if you want a specific frame size to fit a specific space in your house.

A representation of your own photo with dimensions added

Further details are available here

This photograph was in a really bad state as you can see below.

Ann M was very happy with the result. She told me “My Mum’s picture has pride of place on the mantelpiece and is a great talking point for everyone who comes in! My brother and sisters back in Ireland have been astounded and delighted with the copies I sent them. It has given us all so much happiness.”

My customer John G had a photograph he had taken of an old oil painting of an early member of his family (centre photo above). The photograph he gave me was not very good quality itself and you can see by the close up of the face on the left that the surface of the painting was also very cracked and damaged.
On the right is the same section after I had digitally restored it.

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.
You have done a very professional and absolutely stunning job. You are very talented at what you do.” John G

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

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.

We all have old photographs that we treasure, whether they are old family photographs passed on from previous generations, or historic photographs of the homes and towns we live in.

Photographs are the best tool we have to relive our cherished memories and remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Unfortunately photographs don’t age well and over time their quality diminishes.

Because photos are printed on paper things such as handling, light, moisture, dust, and scratches often affect them. Regrettably, these things can ruin our photos and prevent them from lasting through the generations.

Most of the photo papers and inks used up until recently have not been archival quality, and as a result, many photo prints show signs of fading and colour shifts after only a few years.

Poor storage practices such as keeping photos in attics or basements or allowing photos to be exposed to sunlight, have also contributed to the poor condition of most photo collections.

People don’t realize there is a problem until they take a look at their photo collection after many years of storage. Our precious photo collections are in fact fading away and in time many will be beyond recovery. There is also the possibility of their demise in the case of fire or flood.

It is a good idea to restore your special photographs or even entire photo collection in order to stop the unavoidable destruction that will take place no matter how carefully the photos are stored. Once restored, the photos can be copied to CD or DVD for long-term storage and safekeeping. Once you have digital copies you needn’t worry about further damage because digital images do not change at all. You can use these digital images to make a set of prints on archival paper, which will last over 100 years in an album with no signs of degradation or twenty years exposed to daylight for framed prints. Additional prints can be made at any time in the future should disaster strike. You can also share the images with other members of your family and friends.

During the restoration process it is also possible to improve the quality of the original photograph – for example removal of spots, stains, marks, tears as well as improving contrast, brightness, colour balance and enhance detail, focus and sharpness.

It is also possible to add colour to black and white photographs, as well as being able to make quality enlargements for framing.

Many of my customers have told me how they’d had difficulty confronting the task of sorting out their photographs which have piled up over the years, so I hope you find this helpful.
I’ve found that once I actually start a job that has been difficult to face, it’s always much easier and quicker that I thought it would be and invariably I actually enjoy the process, getting a good sense of satisfaction when it’s all done.
For example if you like the idea of having modern photo-books that will last forever with no deterioration, no loose photographs falling out and also a book of the family photographs that your relatives can easily have their own copy of then read on…..

It’s easiest to break the project into smaller manageable stages….

Gather all your photographs together into one place
Make a specific time to sit and go through them to separate the worthwhile ones from the not so worthwhile/duplicates/irrelevant ones
Put them into some kind of order – this is not critical as it’s very easy to change the order after scanning
Have the selected photographs digitally scanned – these can be put into separate “folders” if required
After scanning think about captions and or groups for the photos
Work out a suitable order for your photographs to go into the new photo-book
When your photo-book has been put together you will see a ‘virtual book’ on line for checking and approval
Order your photo-book(s) – this can be the relevant size/number of pages to suit the photographs in question.You may find it easier to divide the photos into several smaller books to keep sections separate (dates/places/content)

If there are various family members interested in your project, it is often the case that the overall cost can be shared so each person gets a finished photo-book and the cost of production of the book split several ways.

I hope this is helpful – don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss any aspect further or if you need any further information – I can help you at every stage.
I can also assure you that the final photo-book will be something that you’ll truly treasure and you’ll be so glad you went to the effort to get it made.

Photographs Forever was given the opportunity to add a blog entry on the Ancestry.co.uk website.

To see the blog written about Saving Your Precious Photographs click on the Guest Blogger logo below:

We also wrote an blog article for Your Family Tree Magazine which has some important points on the Benefits of Restoring Your Photographs.

To see this article – click on the image below:

Archive for tracing family records

What’s YOUR Most Important, Irreplaceable Possession?

Top Quality Framing For Your Restored Photograph

Badly Damaged Photograph Restored

Restoration of Photo of Deteriorating Oil Painting

Three Brothers Together at Last in One Photograph

Framed Tribute to a Decorated Soldier

9 Great Ways To Transform Your Photographs

Don’t Risk Losing Your Family History – Preserve It Forever

How To Sort Out Your Photographs