What is digital restoration?
Digital restoration is a specialized service and is separate from conservation treatment. With digital restoration, your photograph is scanned at high resolution and the scanned image is cleaned up using a program such as Photoshop. The appearance of tears or dirt are removed on the image, losses are filled in and color can be shifted or altered. The result is a cleaned up, refreshed digital image of your original photo. The original has not been touched or altered in any way.
Digital restoration vs. conservation
Often, digital restoration is preferred to conservation treatment. Digital restoration is less expensive and the resulting image can be shared with multiple recipients. A digital copy may be displayed with little concern for light damage because new copies can easily be made when needed. Digital restoration can work wonders recovering information from damaged negatives. Many people can’t tell the difference between the new digital print and the original.
However, when the original is valued enough to preserve and enjoy, conservation restoration is the way to go. The original print is stabilized and repaired and returned in archival housing and with recommendations for proper storage and display.
Girod Holt Conservation does not offer digital restoration services and recommends this work be done by specialists.
