A useful restoration scan records the surviving detail without putting the original at risk. Choose resolution, colour settings and capture method before applying automatic corrections.
Why high resolution matters for small faces
Choose capture resolution from the size of the original and the intended output. As a planning example, a 10 cm-wide print scanned at 600 pixels per inch yields roughly 2,360 pixels across; larger output or small faces may need more. Use the scanner's genuine optical capability rather than interpolation. More pixels cannot recreate detail that is absent from the original.
How colour scans help even with black-and-white originals
Capture colour when stains, paper tone or subtle discolouration need to be assessed, even if the underlying image is monochrome. Save a high-quality master before applying sharpening, automatic restoration or compression. Keep a separate edited copy. Record the full image and useful edges instead of cropping away information that may help alignment or later identification.
When a professional capture is safer
Do not force a curled, cracked or stuck photograph flat against a scanner. Albums, glass-mounted images and unstable surfaces may need a camera-based copy setup or specialist handling. Send a condition photograph to the studio first. Clean the equipment separately, and avoid experimenting with liquids or surface cleaning on an irreplaceable original.
Practical checklist
- Do not clean fragile originals with household products
- Bring the original when safe, not only a messaging-app copy
- Explain who and what is important in the image
- Decide whether the final use is screen, album or print
Discuss your project
See the Photo Restoration service, explore our photography services in Berlin, or contact the studio with your brief.
Further reading: Library of Congress guidance on handling and storing photographs.
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