Wedding photo help

[Retep]

Hello, I just registered here (Retep is Peter backwards) in hopes that one of the many photo savy members can help with a problem. We have a novelty
wedding photo that was taken in a shop that lets you dress up in costumes, and the photo looks old time (sepia?). I remember that the instructions told me to wash the photo when I got home, which I did (2yrs. ago). I just noticed that the photo is starting to look blotched in spots. Of course I can't find the instructions that I had. Can I wash the photo again to remove the
splotches? My wife loves the photo more than the ones we had taken
professionally (I think because she has a toy gun to my head).
Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong thread, I'm also not real knowledgeable about forums, this being my 1st ever post.
Thank You
Retep aka Peter

[Klaatu Baradda]

Greetings Peter,
Can you post a scan of the image? It would be easier to comment on your issue after seeing what we're dealing with.

It may be too late to do anything about the image becoming splotchy (oxidation, staining or tarnishing). Washing it again probably won't fix it (and could make it worse!). However, perhaps it can be corrected in Photoshop which would allow you to create a new digital master which you could have printed again.

[Retep]

Sorry, no scanner available. I'm pretty sure the technology of the photo is not
as old as it is made to look. We didn't have to be still for more than a few seconds. I do remember letting the photo sit in clear water for a few minutes
when we got home, as the directions said.
Thanks
Peter

[Mike]

Before you do anything, make the best copy you can of the image. If you cannot do it yourself, then pay some one to do it for you as I think the material that the image is on is going away quickly.

After you have made a good copy then you can play with the orginal if you wish.

Mike

[Cassidy]

Have to agree with Mike on that one, if you can't afford to lose it, you can't afford not to have it backed up (so to speak)

[Retep]

I have taken several digital photo's of it, now I'm having problems getting
Kodak easyshare to work on my 'puter.
My wife will take it to a professional this week to have it redone.
Thank you all for your input.
Peter

[matrix7]

Digital photos may preserve the content of the photograph but you will lose a lot of detail. I hesitate to tell you to find a scanner because my mom had a bad experience once when she tried to scan a certain picture on an odd medium (I believe it was the old type of ultrasound pics) and the heat from the scan lamp turned it black!

*shrug* Hi-Rez scans are the second best ways to work from. Have you tried contacting the company/person who originally took the picture to see if they have it archived in your file anywhere?