So much fun to see how Sophia has grown since last fall!  She still loves to gather leaves, but shares them more than eats them nowadays.  Happy birthday, sweet Sophia!  And thank you Leary family for another great session!  Best wishes as you move on to your next adventure!

My first restoration attempt was an image of my Great Grandma Gerald, a strong Southern woman from South Carolina who made the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.  It’s a shame no one else can cook it like her, although there are many fine cooks in my family.

This image is one of the earliest we have of Great Grandmama as a young woman.  Please click on the image to view it larger and be able to appreciate the condition of the original.  In this image, the biggest dilemma was created by the pen marks that crossed her face and chin.  Using the healing and cloning tools in Photoshop, I was able to patiently remove them bit by bit.  I’m not sure who labeled it “Ella” on the mat, but I decided to leave the name in place.

My next two pictures are of my maternal grandparents during World War II.  These pictures are very sentimental to my mom as she fondly remembers them being on display in their home when she was a child.  These portraits were missing for decades and only recently rediscovered by my aunt and my mother as they helped my grandparents settle into a nursing home.  They had been tucked behind more recent pictures in some old frames.

This image of my Grandpa Glick was in relatively good shape aside from the holes in the corners and some strange green discoloration on the left side of the image, which you can see if you click to enlarge.  Again the healing and cloning tools were put to good use, but I also used an adjustment brush tool to change the tone of that green line and blend it back in.  I also warmed up this image a bit as a matter of personal preference.  I felt the original skin tones were a little too cool and a little more warmth seems to breathe more life into it.

Of all the images, this one of my Grandma Glick was the most challenging by far.  I’m not sure if was water damage that caused the streaks across my grandmother’s face, but they were not so simply removed.  After using the healing and cloning tools to remove the obvious scratches, I used an adjustment brush to change the exposure of the streaks until they blended as best they could.  I then blended them further with a little bit of a skin softening tool.  The image overall felt a little dark and cool to me, so I increased the contrast, warmed it up, and lightened it a bit to my satisfaction.

The end result makes me smile as I look back as these faces of people I love.  I suppose it’s as close to time travel as this photographer has come so far.

If you have any family history images that need restoration, I’d be happy to take a look at them during the winter months when I am not too crazy busy editing my own contemporary outdoor portrait photography.  If you email me an image, I’ll gladly give you a very estimate.

I am currently looking for a limited number of local high school seniors to help me build my portfolio.  Seniors would receive a free sitting fee for a senior portrait session (up to 2 locations and 3 hours of shooting time) a discount on full-resolution digital copies, prints, and other products after the session.  You won’t beat this opportunity for beautiful outdoor senior pictures!

I am also offering one free sitting fee to a momma-to-be and her family.  I can’t exactly take pictures of myself!

Please contact me if you are interested in either casting call!

While hoping to gain more experience in photographing newborns, I am offering some very affordable in-home newborn photography packages.  All packages include a CD of full-resolution images, professionally edited (3 different versions of each image: color, black & white, and sepia or vintage), with print release.  Newborn sessions take place in your home where baby and mama can be comfortable while recovering during the first week of baby’s life.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity to capture beautiful images of this fleeting, precious moment in your lives!

Having photographed Bekah’s family just a little while ago, I kept thinking that she has a resemblance to Ann Hathaway while editing her photos.  Photographing her sister, Kelly, I’m now convinced that they both have a resemblance.  Am I right?

Thanks, Coleman family!

I have to admit that I LOVE engagement photography sessions like this one so much that I find myself  tempted to eventually make this my niche, along with photography for weddings, of course!