Stumbling across an old box of photos can lead to laughter, tears and fond memories. While the generations before us did not have access to digital cameras, their love affair with taking pictures never slowed. And it's a good thing, too. Without pictures, most of us would never know what our grandparents and relatives looked like or how the world used to look 50 or 100 years ago, and our parents wouldn't have proof that they used to be young and attractive before we came along.
Unfortunately, older photos tend to fade; inks disappear and leave red or orange casts over the whole picture. The effects of time and nature, such as water damage or dust, can also wreak havoc on your beloved memories. That is where photo editing software can save the day. Here are five tips to help you be a better photo editor and achieve great results as you restore your beloved photos.
Import With a Good Scanner
Most scanners today are quite capable, scanning at high resolutions, and usually some low-end software is included to let you do the basic photo editing chores like crop, adjust contrast and color.
If you are planning to scan on a regular basis, or have a large batch to restore, you may want to consider purchasing a dedicated flatbed scanner, as the end quality is usually a bit better than the all-in-one printer scanners. It is also important to note that there are scanners available with built-in hardware that holds negatives or slides in an optimal position. Before you place a photo onto your scanner, make sure the glass is clean and is dust- and smudge–free, and that your hands are clean and dry as well. Doing this will help reduce the need for extra editing and save you time.
Resolution
When you scan an image, you are given the choice of resolution, or dpi, you want to save at. Dpi means "dots per inch" and refers to the intensity a picture is printed at. The lower the resolution, the blurrier it will be if it is enlarged. When restoring photos, select a resolution of at least 300 dpi to save your photos in. You can go higher or lower if you choose, but be warned that lower-resolution photos may turn out blurry when printed.
Use the Clone Tool
If your photos are plagued with dust, scratches, creases or old boyfriends, then the clone tool is about to become your best friend. Most photo editing programs include a clone or rubber stamp tool that can be used to remove unwanted objects, like your ex, or to patch up ruined parts of a photo. Great advances have been made in object removal over the past few years, most notably in the content-aware functions.
Content-aware means that the program takes into consideration the surrounding environment – the colors, tones and objects – and renders a repair as close as possible. This makes it very easy to fill in places and remove unwanted objects and people. It can take some time to get used to how these restoration tools work, so be sure to play around and get some experience.
Save Format
Always make a backup of your original picture scan as well as your restored one. While digital formats help your photo collection last longer, there are some file formats that decay faster than others. The ever-popular JPG or JPEG format is widely used across the digital landscape; unfortunately, this format decays each time the file is saved. This decaying problem is called lossiness, because you are losing data. Lossless formats such as TIFF are the better way to save your images.
This format saves your pictures in the highest quality and we recommend saving a master file in TIFF format because all the data is retained, no matter how many times you use the file. There is one downside to saving in TIFF: Unfortunately, TIFF files require a lot of room due to their large file size, and you can quickly find your hard drive filling up as you edit. Make sure you have enough hard drive space to accommodate your growing collection.
Patience!
Learning how to restore photos is enjoyable, exciting and rewarding. It can also be a pain in the neck trying to get things just right. Take the time to learn how to use your photo editing software properly, and never underestimate the power of the undo button! If you find yourself growing frustrated while you edit, take a break, go feed the ducks, eat some chocolate or some other pleasant activity, and then try again. If you have patience with yourself and the photos you are working on, you'll achieve better results and figure out a workflow that is best suited for you.
Restoring family photos is a labor of love, and helps ensure that future generations will benefit from the history and information you helped to preserve. Using the tips above can help make the editing process easier and increase your enjoyment. Editing photos is highly rewarding and, while challenging, can be a lot of fun. Be sure to check out our reviews of the best photo editing software and get started on saving your heritage and memories today.
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