
I LOVE this photo of my great-grandmother. I still remember the first time I saw it. My Mom had it in a box of photos and other items. I loved it so much that I talked her out of it so I could scan it and share it with everyone. Then in May of 2014, I shared this very photo of my great-grandmother right here on my blog. But it wasn’t this exact file. I originally scanned this photo on my all-in-one print/scan/fax/copy machine. At the time, I was plenty pleased with how it turned out:

I recently rescanned this photo and cleaned it up all over again using Photoshop. Here is the recent, unedited scan for comparison:
And here are the three photos side by side:
Isn’t it interesting how different a photo can look based on the machine you use to create a digital copy? While the quality and clarity of the image from the recent scan is clearly better, when the images are side by side, I can’t help but notice the difference in the tone. The rosiness of the older scan is more pleasant when they are side by side. But until they were next to each other I hadn’t even noticed. Do you ever change the tone of old black and white photos?
Happy Thursday, I hope you find a photo of an ancestor that you love so much that you just have to have it, very, very soon! xoxo
Very interesting! I had copies done of a family photo for several cousins & was so disappointed with them. I asked if they could provide a print that was closer in color & tone to the original, but they said they couldn’t. No help was offered. Now here you are giving me hope! The portrait is simply beautiful!
Thank you, Nancy! <3
I frequently change the tone on b/w photos before using them online or in a newspaper, but I keep the original scan as well.
I also change the tone occasionally, but not often. 🙂
She’s very pretty—how old would you say she is in this photo? There’s something very contemporary about the whole photo—her hair, her expression, her clothes. But I see it was taken 90 years ago!
She was about 15 when this was taken. Assuming the date of the photo is correct. I agree – it’s a very contemporary looking photo. It’s one of my favorite of her. <3
It’s a beautiful photo. She looks so serene, and I think wise beyond her years. I love her hair cut and what I can see of her dress. It looks quite Mary-Quant-1960s!!!
I alter tones of old photos too, but always in copies. I keep the original scans intact.
Wishing you and your family a great weekend.
Thank you, Su! I agree with your assessment, she does look wise beyond her years. 🙂