The Difference Between Retouch and Restore

[Ed_L]

This has become an informative and interesting thread. I like the term "recreation". I think quite often, customers are expecting to see their original worked on, only to find out that it is a digital "recreation" that is being discussed. Until this point, I've called it a digital restoration, but I think the word "recreation" is a better description. But I wonder if the public would think of a "recreation" as something of lesser quality or lesser value than a "digital restoration" even though they are the same.

Ed

[Jim Conway]

Not in my experience Ed - I think they will respect you for clarifying what you do. Most people cannot afford "real" restorations but they do know what they are!

At the risk of making a few people upset here - the quality of "digital" in many cases is so low the buying public is starting to associate the word with GIGO. Like "desktop publishing" a few years back when the computer was being touted as the latest wonder of the world in that field, it brought people into the business that knew nothing about printing or publishing. That didn't last long and now how many of the printers still in the business talk about the "tools" like they make a page flow?.

Buyers WANT good recreations and when you offer that - without the "digital" hype you'll get more chances to explain your work and why it's better than xyz.. Most people now have access to software that claims "restoration" capability so the real buyers out there are looking for talent not for "do it yourself" type work!
ie: People that own cameras still hire photographers - but they learned for themselves that it's not the camera that matters so are not as easily mislead!

As computer enhancements improve I think the "bases" will become an option also - I can see the time coming that will allow transferring images onto metal or fiber base papers as well as cloth or whatever - so you'll be able to go for "replication" even of tintypes.

It's a great world opening up out there for the ones with a knowledge of photo history and the same talents that have always been required in the field. No computer can make someone who has no talent into an artist or teach them to "see" if they have no taste!

Jim C