please to donate photos that need restored?

[fstr21]

I am starting up a restoration business site. By that so far I mean its basically a portfolio I havent really gotten my name out there too much not sure how. Luckilly this wasnt a project I intended on retiring on.
Long story short I would like to see if anyone wanted to donate any of THEIR pictures that needs restoration for me to be able to use as before and afters on the site.
I have been playing around with some old challeneges with some good results but either have no responses or cant find the owner of the picture and I dont feel right about using their picture as a BEFORE without their permission.

So again, just wantin to see if anyone wanted to donate some pictures they own and give me permission to use it for a before and after for my for profit site. Whatever credits you want mentioned are obviously fine. I hesitate to give the site (maybe another reason i get no business) but its so basic im not a huge fan of criticism with it lol, I know it needs work. But here it is anyway

Thanks again retouchers

Justin Foster
www.ThePixFix.com

[slash-5]

You are doing this all wrong. Have a contest in your community for photos that need to be restored. Require that people submit their images along with all of their contact info. Choose three impressive images the first month, then one a month after that (and do them for free). Set your rates high, then offer a 25% discount to anyone that applies. Now, you'll have a database of people who need work done, you've given them a discount, and you have your samples.

I swear I should teach a photography business class...: )

[slash-5]

PS. Don't use words like "zit" on your website, use blemish. Also, your cloning work should not have repeating patterns on it.

[Doug Nelson]

Check out our Archive here. This is exactly what it is for.

[Kraellin]

also, check out the smithsonian site and the national archives site. both have some great, old unrestored photos.

[fstr21]

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

Check out our Archive here. This is exactly what it is for.

Did you mean the challenge section. I would love to but I rather get permission from the users who uploaded them some are unreachable or unresponsive.

[Doug Nelson]

No, I mean the Archive

Look up under the Site Nav link on the navbar.

[fstr21]

I had no idea this was there, your a good man mr. doug

[zganie]

I Didnt Know you could use Archive photos on your site

[fstr21]

gahh can you not now? thats my whole issue, i mean sadly my site is never going to get big enough for anyone to notice im sure but there is still that small chance, plus its you know nice to get permission.

[R Dinwiddie]

Justin,

A few suggestions for your very nice website.

1. Use a light color, perhaps light blue or yellow, for your links. Black ones on a dark blue background are practically invisible. Customers won't click them if they don't know they are there.

2. Your "I" and "we" pronouns used throughout your site should consistently be only one or the other, but not both.

Otherwise, terrific!

Rhonda
www.dazzleimaging.net

[fstr21]

Thanks for the kind words about the site, personally I find it dreadful, it looks like the oldschool angelfire hosting sites lol. Erols anyone?! My friend was willing to build it for free on the condition I design it. Like some of the others here I am sure, I am not much of a CREATOR as I am a EDITOR of the already created so I am not a fan of it but its what I came up with from nothing.

As for the I and the WE what are your suggestions in terms of sellng. I want them to think personal (so I went with the I) but I also dont want them to realize the truth its just me doing my thing solo and maybe would seem unreliable (so I added the WE) I know it shouldnt be both, maybe I will flip a coin.

[R Dinwiddie]

"We" can be very personal with creativity, good taste and style. It's important to be convincing that "all of us" (even if all is just one) have the customer's best interests at heart, and you can be convincing if that is your true objective. I think you should skip the coin toss and just go with "we."

[R Dinwiddie]

Robert (Slash-5),

You offer some excellent marketing ideas. I'm going to try them or some variation of them, and, yes, I think you SHOULD teach a photography business class! I like your website too.

[fstr21]

ha yea, i am all about putting some flyers up and doing some probono that is pretty genius

[Kraellin]

actually, using "I" if it's indeed just you doing the work, is not only proper (and not misleading), but some folks prefer a person with a name doing the work rather than an impersonal 'company'. so, dont sell 'I' short.

[Kraellin]

here's the web addresses for the smithsonian and the national archives. i'd check the latter first and do be careful to check copyrights.

the smithsonian: http://www.si.edu/

the national archives: http://www.archives.gov/

the national archives is probably the best place to go, but it's a rather large site and a bit tricky to find things sometimes. the best approach i've found is go look at the very top of the first page and look for 'subject index'. hit that and on the new page, scroll down to 'photographs'. there is a list there of subjects. just pick one and you shld find some appropriate items to be worked on