I Restore Vintage Photographs By Adding Colors To Them, Here’s The Result (16 Pics)
I am a professional photographer and retoucher. I love to colorize old vintage photos and restore them. Let me know if you have any rare photos you want to restore and colorize!
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A Dapper Group On Their Way To Church, Chicago 1940
How to determine which color was the original? The pink coat irritates me a lot.
Sorry about the pink, Hard to get the original colors, mind is spinning sometimes :)
Load More Replies...Family next door to me growing up had two sets of twins
Load More Replies...Trying my best to match the colors.
Load More Replies...going to church? They are slaying those runway outfits!!! I love everything about them... the subtle details of differences of the yellows and blues... and the shades of the brown and the pink!!!!
“put on your sunday clothes there’s lots of world out there… get out the brillantine and dime cigars..”
I was born and raised in Bosnia, and my love for art, especially photography, led me to start my journey in Germany in 1998, where I lived for a decade. I am passionate about bringing old photos to life, as it's intriguing to see how they looked at that time in color.
To restore all the photos, I use Photoshop, which is quite time-consuming. Sometimes, I conduct research on the era of life, colors, etc., while other times I create a few different color versions and keep the one that feels best.
Country Store On A Dirt Road, July 1939, Gordonton, North Carolina
Photograph by Dorothea Lange.
I like this. Sometimes a busy B&W photo can be overwhelming to look at.
Why are people so overly critical?? It think they are great and unless you have something positive to say or have a professional critical or constructively critical comment leave it to yourself. This is someone's livelihood.
But saying that some of the colors stand out too much or something like that may well be helpful. If I were to paint a picture, and someone found the colors jarring, I'd want to know.
Load More Replies...Such a difference, I like how the signs, stand out, that is actually, how you would see them, being there !!!
Part of my childhood was spent in South Carolina. A few of the Old back-road country stores like this were still around in our area. I loved them, they were endlessly fascinating to a kid. They're all gone now now, nothing but memories.
looks like the petrol station from Flight Of The Navigator
Looks exactly like the country stores from Appalachia(my home) to those back roads of shell in North and South Carolina. Vivid colors and all!
Family Going On A Trip, Late 1940's
An African-American family leaves Florida for the North during the Great Depression. There are many pictures (from different angles) of this family and car online and this is one of them: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/long-lasting-legacy-great-migration-180960118/ .
I can’t help but laugh at this, their faces make me think of my family trips….Are we there yet?? We’re lost, aren’t we??! Why didn’t you ask for directions?? Who tied the cargo like this?? No more bathroom stops!! You better go now or prepare to hold it! Who made the mess in the back seat?! 😆
Another beautiful work. But I think again the parts not colored get too much inconsistent. Like the tires, the sack, hats and dress. I guess even grey or black and white stuff on the real world have some touches of color, like some yellow warmth from the sun, or some brown dirty patches, etc.
In my line of work, passion, and skill are essential. At times, it can be challenging to restore a beloved photo that is badly damaged, but I always try my best, and if necessary, I get creative and recreate the missing parts to make it look seamless.
I would advise anyone pursuing photography to always take their time. A photo speaks volumes about the photographer and the subject, so it's essential to put in the necessary effort. It's also crucial not to let negative criticism discourage you, as it can make you stronger and better.
Centerville, California. This Youngster Is Awaiting An Evacuation Bus. Evacuees Of Japanese Ancestry Will Be Housed In War Relocation Authority Centers For The Duration
When wasn't there a horrible time? I'm sure that future generations will look at us now, and say the same.
Load More Replies...Change evacuee to detainee and 'housed' to 'held against their will just in case' and it'd be a whole lot more accurate.
F*****g ridiculous title. This - this is how history gets rewritten.
Load More Replies..."... Housed In War Relocation Authority Centers" is the gaslighting term for Concentration Camp. If you ever make it to the Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma is ~30 miles south of Seattle) they have a great collection of very striking paintings about camp life by a Japanese painter while he was detained in one of those concentration camps. The scenes depicted make a lie of all we have been told about that period, that history (re-)writers attempted to put lipstick on a sow but ended up hiding the whole sow under a tarp because this whole thing just can't be beautified.
So sad. Used to drive past Manzanar on 395. What a desolate place to put ordinary citizens. Like Russia is doing to Ukrainians now.
Young Mill Workers In Massachusetts, 1911. Back When There Were No Big Labor Regulations
The Black and white photo was poor quality but I did the best I could.
Some states in the US have decimated the child labor laws. It’s like we’re going back in time
We are going back in time, in more ways than one. That's what Republicans want. They want to decimate hard earned human rights that we all thought were here to stay, and they are succeeding.
Load More Replies...All because they are so racist that they can't admit that we NEED immigrants as workers. Let's exploit our children instead!
Load More Replies...The kid with the pipe.😂 these boys look mature way beyond their years
My uncle used to get locked in the textile factory for a 12-hour shift when he was a kid. Lost his finger. He was able to throw a mean knuckleball. And look like he was picking his nose waaay waaay waaay deep. He thought that was funny.
Through my work, I not only honor the past but also preserve it for future generations. By breathing new life into old photographs, I create a connection between the past and the present and remind us of the beauty that exists in both. My art serves as a testament to the power of photography and the importance of preserving history.
Hayward, California. Members Of The Mochida Family Awaiting The Evacuation Bus. Identification Tags Are Used To Aid In Keeping The Family Unit Intact During All Phases Of Evacuation
Heartbreaking. I have trouble with the word "evacuation." The trains in Germany weren't evacuating Jews, Poles etc. either.
Same. I also have a big problem with the word "evacuation". I've honestly never heard it called that before and I was raised in TX where they still try to justify it.
Load More Replies...I’ll say it again. Evacuation means you are helping them escape from a deadly threat. They and all other families are about to be interned. Put in a prisoner of war camp because people of Japanese heritage were deemed a threat to US security. Regardless of how long they had lived in America and even if they didn’t agree with the Japanese supporting the Axis armies.
Beautiful family. I would love to know what their lives were like after the war ended.
I understand the purpose of the tags, but those tags just drive home to me how unjust the whole thing was. It reminds me of dog tags, like they were considered just animals.
Dad looks like the Japanese version of my dad. His expression just says so much.
Actually, I prefer not to think, of the past wars, as we deal with the present, the new Hitler, killing innocent people !!!
Spacelander Was The Bicycle Of The Future, 1946-1960
Spacelanders are worth a fortune to bicycle collectors. Gold, however, was not one of the original colors. See, https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-ultra-rare-fiberglass-bicycle-is-worth-nearly-40000-heres-its-story-188287.html
Vintage Bathing Suits, Funny Boys Flexing Muscles On The Beach. Swimsuit Print, 1950's Vintage Photo
OMG Mary,.... what are you wearing? You can basically see everything. That is so indecent... (comments by the lady in the back)
2nd from right is a Johnny Knoxville ancestor, or somealong.
Vikki Dougan Turns A Few Heads In 1957
They say she served as inspiration for the design for Jessica Rabbit’s dress.
Load More Replies...The saturation is a bit much on the blues. But the dress looks sharp.
What's wrong with dark red?
Load More Replies...The guy by the lightpost is wearing an Army uniform, which should be olive green.
Yes, it does seem that the poster should have done some research. The traffic light housing color is wrong, too, as someone else pointed out. But that isn't as glaring a mistake.
Load More Replies...Covid's been going on for a long time. First thing I noticed is how close these people are to each other. Creepy
Yes, it's really amazing how a pandemic can change your perspective on what is normal.
Load More Replies...Nice. The man leaning though is in a brown bomber jacket, and would have been wearing a tan slacks and brown hat.
The Cigarette Industry Began A Strong Marketing Campaign Geared Toward Women Beginning In The 1920s In The United States
This is a great photo--no wonder smoking became positively associated for women
My Grandmother was born in France in the early 20s. I remember her telling me once that occasionally her parents would offer her & her sisters cigarettes because it was classy. (I assume this was when they were teenagers).
A photo shows up on here sometimes showing two women from that same era taking a break from a tennis game ...to light up.
Load More Replies...I feel like the colors are too light. There's no shadows, looks more like a painting than real life
Vintage Photography Print. Army Soldier Cutting Hair
You do it then! Don’t criticize when you couldn’t do it better. If you can, by all means! Go ahead!
Load More Replies...Scott Fitzerald And Wife Zelda At Dellwood
Actually, he is wearing, wrong as he is keeping his jacket open, he prefers !!!
Load More Replies...I always feel sad when I see pics of Zelda. She died in a fire in a mental hospital.
Chevrolet - Broken Wheel In Dc 1923
Ohh, that doesn't look like an easy fix. Nice work on the sky, by the way!
Golfer Standing On The Car. 1920's
Couple With The Buick, California, 1930
I am overwhelmed by the shades of blue.All of the colors are oversaturated. Clothes of the 40s and 50s were not so flamboyant. I remember couples wearing more conservative beige and light brown. The early 50s were a time of pastels and geometric shapes after the big shoulders of the 40s.
Sorry I didn't live in your Era lol (how you remember) but sometimes it's good to bring life into old photos even if the colors aren't matching as you say so. I don't see a big issue on this colorized photo but thank you for the comment. Love critics, makes me better for the next one.
Load More Replies...I'm sorry but you are way over-using the colours, choosing extremely unlikely colours and saturation for the respective eras, and giving the photos an artificial look. Dial it back. Don't be so heavy-handed. And try to understand how very infrequently we all know that people from the past wore bright pinks, bright yellows, saturated blues, especially woollens and coats.
I agree with that comment, the shades of blue are oversaturated. People did wear more subtle colors, cars colors were also in more neutral tones.
I agree there's a lot of blue. On the one for example with the Coca-Cola posters. You have something to start what something looks like
Load More Replies...I like the strong colors. They’re not necessarily historically accurate, but they’re harmonious and surprising, some people back in that place and time were probably surprised to see that car way out in that neck of the woods.
Back in the day, women wore hats, I would love to see, women in hats again, men too for that matter !!!
Hi, What's new on here? Colors?
Load More Replies...FYI - my folks were born in 1912 & 1915 and grew up during the depression. Photos were black and white but the clothing had lots of colors. Pastels were in the 50's but this picture is from the 1930's. My Mom's nursing cape was gray with a red lining. My Dad had a really neat brown tweed double breasted suit that he wore brown argyles with. We think that the 1900's to 1950's were blah because of the B&W photos but pictures like Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz prove otherwise. One of the best color films from that time is Robin Hood with Errol Flynn. I think you did just fine with the colors.
Sam Snead Plays A Practice Round Barefoot. Snead Was Known For Incredible Athleticism, A Silky Swing, And Homespun Wisdom
Those are shoes black and white.
Load More Replies...OP wildly overestimates their own talent. "Mastered" is hardly the word I would choose. The skin tones are flat and unnatural for most of the subjects and the colors wildly oversaturated. Several of them look like they forgot to colorize parts of the photo, creating a jarring effect. Stick with it OP, you have promise. But don't let it be clouded by hubris.
I appreciate the effort. But absolutely agree. I would be highly disappointed if I commissioned worked and received an image that looked like any one of the above.
Load More Replies...Very interesting, but the colors were overdone, perhaps there is a reason !!!
Be it still photos or movies, I'm not a fan of colorization. It's a piece of history. Leave it alone.
Totally agree, don't get why you're being down voted. I probably will be too. History needs respect not people guessing what it looked like in colour.
Load More Replies...As someone who actually has "mastered" the art of digital restoration with formal training and 15 years of professional exp, you should really stay in your lane lol. Try a bit harder to understand detail colors and era specific trends before saying "master"
I like these. I think the vivid colors give the photos a dream-like quality.
That is a good way, to describe the finish product !!!
Load More Replies...I usually prefer black and white because colors can be so distracting. B & W film could provide a different depth of tones. These were interesting, but didn't feel accurate.
I like them. They’re not like the originals, they’re their own thing. Kids going to church wearing colors like spring flowers. It invites a new look at an old item, it doesn’t replace the old, but is an interesting cover of an older song, so to speak.
To add to the comments on the colours, especially the blues being a bit oversaturated, the sky replacement in some of the images seem somewhat awkward. Good effort though.
OP wildly overestimates their own talent. "Mastered" is hardly the word I would choose. The skin tones are flat and unnatural for most of the subjects and the colors wildly oversaturated. Several of them look like they forgot to colorize parts of the photo, creating a jarring effect. Stick with it OP, you have promise. But don't let it be clouded by hubris.
I appreciate the effort. But absolutely agree. I would be highly disappointed if I commissioned worked and received an image that looked like any one of the above.
Load More Replies...Very interesting, but the colors were overdone, perhaps there is a reason !!!
Be it still photos or movies, I'm not a fan of colorization. It's a piece of history. Leave it alone.
Totally agree, don't get why you're being down voted. I probably will be too. History needs respect not people guessing what it looked like in colour.
Load More Replies...As someone who actually has "mastered" the art of digital restoration with formal training and 15 years of professional exp, you should really stay in your lane lol. Try a bit harder to understand detail colors and era specific trends before saying "master"
I like these. I think the vivid colors give the photos a dream-like quality.
That is a good way, to describe the finish product !!!
Load More Replies...I usually prefer black and white because colors can be so distracting. B & W film could provide a different depth of tones. These were interesting, but didn't feel accurate.
I like them. They’re not like the originals, they’re their own thing. Kids going to church wearing colors like spring flowers. It invites a new look at an old item, it doesn’t replace the old, but is an interesting cover of an older song, so to speak.
To add to the comments on the colours, especially the blues being a bit oversaturated, the sky replacement in some of the images seem somewhat awkward. Good effort though.
