Surface damage
Identify creases, scratches, stains, and small tears. Describe where the damage is and what nearby texture should continue through the repair.
Repair visible wear with a careful restoration brief. Preserve the people, period details, and character of the photograph you want to keep.
An old photo may need scratch repair, tonal correction, or a cleaner digital presentation. Those are different decisions. Begin with the least intrusive repair and keep the original scan, especially where a face, handwritten note, uniform, or place carries personal meaning.
Identify creases, scratches, stains, and small tears. Describe where the damage is and what nearby texture should continue through the repair.
Ask for readable shadows and highlights without flattening the original lighting. A photograph can remain aged and still be easier to see.
Keep a black-and-white restoration separate from a colorized interpretation. Plausible colors are not evidence of the original clothing or setting.
Use a careful scan or evenly lit photograph of the print. Keep a separate untouched copy and avoid glare or a heavy crop.
Identify the main damage and the features that must remain recognizable. Separate restoration from optional colorization or restyling.
Check faces, dates, lettering, clothing, and background objects. Keep uncertain reconstructed areas distinct from reliable original detail.
Reduce distracting fold marks while checking that facial structure and expressions remain faithful to the source.
Plan My Portrait RepairImprove tonal readability across an old print without turning a softly lit photograph into a modern studio portrait.
Restore My Album PhotoRequest a focused repair for a scratch or stain, using surrounding texture as the reference for the missing patch.
Repair a Damaged AreaPrepare a cleaner viewing copy while retaining the untouched scan and a note describing substantial reconstruction.
Prepare a Family CopyWhen a missing area crosses an eye, badge, sign, or handwritten date, a generated repair can introduce plausible but incorrect detail. Keep an unrepaired scan alongside the viewing copy. Use another genuine photograph or document when you need to identify an uncertain feature.
“Repair the thin scratches and central fold in this scanned black-and-white family photo. Preserve each person’s facial structure, expression, clothing, and the original background. Retain the period grain and monochrome appearance. Avoid inventing text or adding modern details.”
Keep the untouched scan, then give the restored copy only the finishing work it needs. Choose tonal correction, output sizing, or a tightly defined cleanup task.
Improve the viewing copy’s lighting or tonal balance after repairing the damage. Preserve period grain, recognizable faces, and the softer contrast that belongs to the original photograph.
Try freePlan a larger display copy once the restoration is approved. Specify the intended dimensions and inspect faces, handwriting, and repaired areas without treating generated detail as historical evidence.
Try freeDescribe a local cleanup for a distracting mark or unwanted element in a separate display copy. Keep the original scan intact and check that nearby objects and meaningful details remain unchanged.
Try freeStart with the original scan and a focused repair request, then compare the details that carry the memory.
Start My Restoration Brief