Old photos by decade
Photographs from each decade were made differently and fail differently. Start with the decade, then decide whether to restore the colour or add it.
Restoring and colorizing 1920s photos
Most family photos from the 1920s are black and white silver prints: small snapshots from box cameras like the Kodak Brownie, and larger studio portraits. They age by fading, silvering and cracking, and they colorize well once restored.
Open →Restoring and colorizing 1950s photos
The 1950s were the decade colour arrived in family albums, so a box of prints from then mixes black and white snapshots, early colour prints that have faded badly, and Kodachrome slides that often still look superb.
Open →Restoring 1970s photos
Most 1970s family photos are colour prints, and many have drifted orange or red with faint blues and greens. That is dye fading, it is predictable, and it corrects well.
Open →