Color Correction and Restoration - Beginning Photo Retouching and Restoration Using GIMP - page 78

Chapter 4

Color Correction and Restoration

In This Chapter
Common Color Problems •

• Color Essentials

• Correcting Color CastsCorrecting and Restoring Color

Common Color Problems
When color became mainstream, our family photographs took on a new dimension. While monochrome
photographs possess an aura of mystery, color photographs have an element of added realism. When we
look at an old color family photo in pristine condition, memories rush back (I believe) more completely. We
can instantly see the colors in a birthday cake or Halloween costume and relive those moments. Of course,
it's distracting to view a cherished photograph that has faded or shifted colors.
There are several factors that can result in color problems: bad processing, the wrong film type or
camera settings, chemical changes over time, etc. The following are the color problems that often
plague images:

• Color casts and color shifts

• Faded colorExtreme color loss

For me, one of the most challenging aspects I encounter as a professional retoucher is restoring images
that have suffered extreme color loss, owing to fading over time. Many of these images were displayed in
frames and exposed to damaging UV light that caused fading and color shifts. Many of the photographic
papers and chemicals used during the late 1960s through the 1980s resulted in unstable prints that degraded
at an accelerated rate.

■ I recommend downloading the free PDF version of the topic The Permanence and Care of Color
Photographs: Traditional and Digital Color Prints, Color Negatives, Slides, and Motion Pictures by Henry
Wilhelm (Preservation Pub. Co., 1993). It's available from www.wilhelm-research.com and contains a wealth
of information about the stability and longevity of various makes and types of photographic materials.

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