Digital Technology Makes Old Photos Picture Perfect
Posted June 6, 2000 7:00 a.m. EDT
RALEIGH — Old family photographs are being given new life by technology. Once dusty, moldy, and deteriorating, the pictures can now be restored and saved for future generations.
Belinda Dodson at K.D. Zotter photography is about to transform an old picture into a new treasure.
"It had multiple tears in it, faded out portions of the photograph, and the customer would like for it to be restored back to originality," Dodson says.
After she scans it into a digital format, Dodson is able to repair tears and cracks with the help of a computer.
"I can take and clone from the area above it, or below it, because it matches, and we just take it right out," Dodson says, referring to a tear.
The ability to clone images and tones from the original photo gives digital restoration an edge over traditional hand restoration. It is also faster.
In the time it takes Kent Zotter to photograph a print, Dodson is already done restoring it.
The computer software also makes it easy to correct a mistake if one is made.
The original photo is kept intact and the restored photo is kept on a disc for future prints and future generations.
A typical photo takes a few hours to restore and can cost anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars.
