Memories You Didn't Know Were Trapped in Ancient Film
If you grew up in the 1980s or before, there's a good chance that you have some of your childhood memories locked away in ancient film cartridges left to degrade and collect dust in the back of a closet. Don't lose those memories! Here's how to revive them by removing them from the old film, transferring them to digital files, and restoring them with photo editing software.
Roll up, roll up
Would you like to relive your childhood? Of course you would. If there’s one thing that time erodes, it’s our memories of younger years. But don’t despair - these days there are ways of preserving those precious moments once thought to be lost forever.
Pack up your past
Because film is made of light-sensitive material, photographs deteriorate over time. Unless you’re extremely fortunate and have a collection that was stored and preserved with great care, your photos have likely already faded or yellowed beyond recognition. However, there’s a way to recapture what has been lost by taking some new pictures of your old photographs. Using an advanced photo scanning service will restore the image so it looks as close to its original state as possible.
Get out and shoot
The best way to digitize your old images is to get them out of storage and onto a scanner or camera. The act of shooting these memories also allows you to remember what it was like to be present for them at one point, and will often jog your memory about all sorts of details about your life that you’d otherwise have forgotten. (Don’t have a scanner? A photo booth that scans prints, websites like Photomyne , and even eBay's classified section can help digitize your photos.)
Explore online sources
Moving images have been around for more than 100 years, so there’s a good chance that some of your fondest childhood memories are trapped on decaying film reels. Luckily, you can use these digital resources to bring those memories back to life.
Take it slow and steady
The last thing you want to do is overheat or damage your film. Exposing it for too long will result in burning, fogging and other blemishes that can leave prints unusable. Find a space with controlled lighting where you can expose images one at a time, paying close attention to how long each picture needs to be exposed.
Make sure you're doing it right
Don’t just start peeling at that film! There are a few things you should know about to make sure your ancient photographs are safely restored. First of all, use gloves. If you don’t wear them, not only will you get sticky and gooey film on your hands, but some chemicals from old photos can be harmful to you and can even cause discoloration.