How to Set a Limit on Changes to an Old Family Photo
By ImgHeal · Updated
Agree which defects may be reduced and which source characteristics should remain before a restoration changes the photograph's likeness or meaning.
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List the permitted changes
Name the actual tasks: reduce a scratch, balance a capture cast, or make a display crop. Keep requests about age, expression, clothing, and background separate because they change depicted content. A request to improve everything gives reviewers no shared basis for deciding whether the result went too far. Refer to the original scan when defining the scope.
Identify protected characteristics
Mark likeness, readable text, pose, original tone, and meaningful damage that should remain. Automated output can alter protected regions even when the selected workflow sounds limited. Check those areas explicitly. If a more creative interpretation is wanted, keep it as a separate version instead of allowing it to replace the documentary viewing copy without explanation.
Review against the scope
Compare intended and unintended changes at the planned display size. Reject or revise a result that exceeds the agreed limits even if it looks polished. Record any exceptions and why they were accepted. The source and scope note help future editors understand that some remaining softness or wear reflects a deliberate choice rather than unfinished work.
Check before finishing
- Permitted changes are specific.
- Protected details are identified.
- Exceptions are reviewed and recorded.
Continue with a related guide
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