Seeing the “before” and “after” of a photo restoration is a highlight of my job. First of all, when a customer brings in a damaged photo to be fixed, I know that it is somehow special to them. Sometimes they are eager to share the story, while other times it is their own quiet memory. Frequently photos are faded from being displayed in the light; sometimes they are stuck to the glass of the frame that holds them; and sometimes the damage is extreme from creasing, stains, or a torn-away corner. Then…to present the recipient with a beautifully restored photograph one week later…it is magic to see the impact.

Several years ago, my friend, Ann, brought me a pencil-sketch of her deceased father that had been drawn by one of his army buddies. It was a nice likeness that had become faint, spotted and yellow. Ann wanted to give a nice copy to everyone in her family for a Christmas gift. We digitally fixed the damage, pumped up the contrast, and made an additional colorized version that had a hand-tinted look. To see Ann’s face when she saw that restoration was a golden moment. And to hear that the 8×10’s she gave to her family that Christmas were the gifts that made their holiday special was the icing on the cake.

A candidate for a photo restoration doesn’t have to be a professional portrait. Sometimes it’s the little snapshots that have the most meaning in our lives…or something as simple as Ann’s pencil sketch.

 Now through September 14, 2012, Color Services is including a free 8×10 enlargement with every photo restoration.