It was a rainy afternoon. I had decided to take a few days of vacation. Finally, getting the kids off to school, I had some time for myself. I dont know why I decided to tidy up the spare bedroom closet, but what a surprise awaited me. It was an old hatbox, you know, the one that just sat on the shelf for years collecting dust, but interesting enough never to toss out. It had actually belonged to my wifes grandmother. Though I had seen it for years, I had never looked in it. Why I did this morning is still a mystery, but when I opened it, a treasure of pictures gripped my attention, inducing an almost hypnotic trance. These were my childrens heritage. It was all about their past, their roots, and the people that had shaped their lives.
I had always wondered where Alex, my 18 year old, had gotten his deep, penetrating brown eyes; certainly it wasnt my side of the family. But it certainly was similar to the photo of the attractive young woman in the picture. The sepia photograph was definitely old, very old. It was worn and needed some attention if it was going to last much longer. The family portrait of what later proved to be my childrens Great-Great-Great Grandfather and Grandmother, and their three children, was priceless.
As I gazed upon each picture, searching for similarities, attributes and features of my wife and children, I realized that this assortment of pictures told a story of our family, our heritage, the old farm and how our relatives had looked. Imaginethis generation saw the first airplane fly overhead; they huddled around the kitchen table and listened to a radio broadcast for the first time; they cranked their car by hand to start it; they had live operators who connected them to their neighbors; and these were the people who survived the great depression. Past history? Not for us. This was history that had just come alive to our whole family; a history that we could have missed; a past that a generation may have never known existed; a history that we talked about for hours that evening and still talk about today; a history that is now being shared with my new grandchildren the next generation.
Travels Through Time; thats how many refer to the photos that often resurface to new generations; generations that want to know about their past; generations that due to age and maturity eventually begin wondering about their Great Grandparents, their Great-Great Grandparents, and even their Great-Great-Great Grandparents. Who were they? What did they look like? Do I look like them? Many of these generations who want to save a bit of their history, are often saddened if not desperate as they find the centuries of old photos in old albums, drawers, chests and hatboxes, often crumbling before their eyes.
We all know the old adage that age escapes no person. As we get older, we all become more reflective, sometimes spending time with old photos just to remember. Maybe its good for the soul. Maybe its a way to add significance to our lives. Maybe its a way to reflect or ponder about how others will sometimes remember us. Whatever the reason, we all have to wonder what others will see when all that is left is a picture and a memory to go with it? The least we can do is cherish the photos and assist the next generation with their Travels Through Time.
So why the panic? Why not just store the old photos in a safe place and let their recovery be the next generations fun surprise? Because its just not all that simple, the problem is with the photographs that were produced before 1950. You know, the black and white photos that were taken with the cameras that were held down by your waist; looking down to see the subjects reflection; and then clicking on the lever to capture the picture. These photos were processed using silver salts the best-known photography procession method at its time.
The silver processes used in the old black and white photography are far more stable and thicker than the multitude of dyes used in processing colored photos today, but the years have now hardened the photos emulsion that was once meant to preserve. The patina has hardened; the image looks brownish; and the cracks seem brittle easily damaged further with even the slightest bend. Can these photos be preserved for the next generation or is history destined to eventually fade with their memories and become lost forever?
What about the natural color photos of today? The family gatherings, the 35mm camera pictures capturing treasured vacations, even the Wedding Photos? Will they survive the onslaught of future years, the generations of new eyes wanting to discover their own history, their own family heritage and experience their own travel through time? Probably not! The chemical dyes that create todays foundation of photography processing make it almost impossible to maintain the color intensity that you first experience when you first see a newly developed picture. Natural ultraviolet rays fade all color photos, eventually to the point of obscurity.
Whats your history worth? Whats it worth to pass on your won legacy, or the legacy of your grandparents and the special family characters of the past who defined the genes of those new characters that comprise your family today. Dont let them fade away. A professional can retain them forever. Memories deserve to have pictures. A picture legacy is good for the soul. It adds significance to life. After all, what greater gift can you give your loved ones than a Travel Through Time?
William Heroy Owner of Old Photo Specialists Founded in 1973
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(336) 271-6960
Old Photo Specialists is a highly specialized restoration studio. We provide a variety of services including original restoration, digital restoration, archival black and white and sepia tone printing, hand oil tinting, oils on canvas and a large variety of photography services. We educate our clients on how to take care of, preserve, and archive their precious family photos.
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Old Photo Specialist
320 South Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
