Old Photos 1 (Page 3): It's been many years now but someone brought in a oval convex glass mounted print. I'm certain it was the most expensive way back then. It was also welded into...

Bob Werre

It's been many years now but someone brought in a oval convex glass mounted print. I'm certain it was the most expensive way back then. It was also welded into the glass. Our idea was to just make a copy photo, but the convex glass picked up all the reflections from 180 degrees around. We finally resorted to having an airbrush artist work on all those reflections. I still wouldn't have any better recommendations, except PhotoShop.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Bob Werre wrote:

It's been many years now but someone brought in a oval convex glass mounted print. I'm certain it was the most expensive way back then. It was also welded into the glass. Our idea was to just make a copy photo, but the convex glass picked up all the reflections from 180 degrees around. We finally resorted to having an airbrush artist work on all those reflections. I still wouldn't have any better recommendations, except PhotoShop.

That sounds like the worst case scenario. The photo might even have been glued onto the glass.

In a case like that I would try to photograph it with lighting. With the camera on a tripod, take a photo, move the lights, take another, move the lights, etc. Then you might be able to use Photoshop to get rid of the lighting reflections. There is a technique used to remove people from a landscape scene: You stack a bunch of identical photos in Photoshop layers, then start erasing people from the top layer. If there are people showing through from the next layer, select that layer and erase the people that are showing through. You might be able to do something similar with light reflections

If the surface covered a significant part of a circle, you might have to do this several times from different angles to get something flat.

rcarol

User ID wrote:

The photo may well separate from the substrate as well as from the glass. IOW look before you leap.

Acoarst you’ll be copying it before doing anything. If the front lit copy looks awful you can add some trans light if the back side has nothing written on it. It’s more work to add that but only you can set a value on the image you’re restoring and only you can set the standard for the appearance of the finished result.

I have been wanting to ask you, what is the meaning of "acoarst"? You have used it more than several times in your past posts and I have been unable of find a definition for this word.

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

Bob Werre wrote:

It's been many years now but someone brought in a oval convex glass mounted print. I'm certain it was the most expensive way back then. It was also welded into the glass. Our idea was to just make a copy photo, but the convex glass picked up all the reflections from 180 degrees around. We finally resorted to having an airbrush artist work on all those reflections. I still wouldn't have any better recommendations, except PhotoShop.

If you ever have to do that again put lights on each side at 45 degrees with a polarizing filter on each oriented the same way and then put a polarizing filter on your camera and dial away most if not all the reflections. With this setup you can control reflections on all sorts of surfaces including metal.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

quixdraw wrote:

Before you do anything else, gently clean the exterior glass and get the best digital shots you can of the photos in place! CYA!

Great idea! I did that recently with an old photo stuck on glass, and was pleased with the results. Oftentimes I’ll think of an approach to a problem which is the opposite of what one would assume is the way to go, and it works.

no12mo

TMcL wrote:

This is a bit of a Hail Mary solution. If it fails, I’ve also lost the original!!

Well, experiment with a photo that if you lose it no harm done. Here's the way I would do it.

1) Take a photo that was stuck to glass and soak it along with the glass. Use room temp water. DON'T FORCE THE NEXT STEP

2) Work the photo off the glass.

3) Dry it on a drum drier - see this eBay example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/224457460811?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818141841%26meid%3D210c5f8ce7c54d4bbb473ecc721a9ab4%26pid%3D101111%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D254844255516%26itm%3D224457460811%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2563228%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWithAblationExplorer&_trksid=p2563228.c101111.m2109

If this is a one of rescue, sell the drier on eBay when you are through with it.

Photo paper is wet during part of the process. If you don't force it, it might work. If a small spot does tear off, you might "heal" the scanned image and no one but the most astute observer will notice the spot.

Good Luck, Alan

no12mo

quixdraw wrote:

Before you do anything else, gently clean the exterior glass and get the best digital shots you can of the photos in place! CYA!

Another approach might be to scan the picture on a high quality scanner - have a friend scan it if you don't have one and are disinclined to get one. That might do the trick. Taking a picture of it might result in unwanted reflections or distortions.

I think a scanner might work better

no12mo

TMcL wrote:

Thanks. I will look into it.

Dunno know if this product will work on photo paper. It is originally meant to work with film. BTW, I have found that Kodak engineers are some of the most enthusiastic support folks if you can get by the front desk.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

JimBart wrote:

You may try a sharp razor blade and work it carefully between the glass and picture

NO! NO! NO! NO!

I think

1. CYA and copy with scanner or camera on a copy stand. Proper lighting will yield no reflections.
2. Soak in Photoflow solution as others have suggested or
3. Call George Eastman House in Rochester, NY for their recommendations.

no12mo

I agree 100%

User ID

rcarol wrote:

I have been wanting to ask you, what is the meaning of "acoarst"? You have used it more than several times in your past posts and I have been unable of find a definition for this word.

Uh huh. You won’t find one. You’ll hafta get it thru context and usage.

When it hits you, you’ll say something like, “Well acoarst ! It had been so darn obvious all along” :-)

VICTORJCARR Loc: Alabama

Some good advice. The finish of the paper is important. Steam on the glass,submerge glass with print attached in water,both are possibilities. Some times restoration is required. New frame should be matted so that the print doesn't, touch the glass. Kodak had a professional paper for B&W film that could be guaranteed for 100years. If the photos are priceless family photos, I would suggest contacting someone that does restoration. I have had to take over the process from amateurs,it ends up costing more than if they wold have come to me first.

Miamark Loc: Florida

PixelStan77 wrote:

Kodak makes a product called Photoflow. Soak the print and glass in Photoflow and it will separate.

I used to use Photoflow to prevent streaking on negatives. I would be very careful about using it for this purpose. ,

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

The product you want is Heco LFN (LFN = Low Foaming Non Ionic.
You MUST use it in a closed solid container, like a zip lock plastic bag. DO NOT let it near anything that is put togeather like a fish tank or plastic container. This will reduce the viscosity of water (or water based materials to near zero, so that you can remove the emulsion from the glass. It will work more effectively than Kodak FotoFlow or Pako Gloss prep solution. One it is used it is a good idea to NOT let items come in contact with it, a few drops in a fish aquarium will break the seal between the silcon and glass. It will penetrate anything where water is involved.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

At my studio we do quite a bit of photo restoration so here are a few simple steps.

* Scan the photograph right through the glass or photograph it with a polarizer on the lens and obtain a digital file so the image can be retrieved if damage occurs in trying to release it from the glass. Make sure the file is well exposed, sharp and easily printable.

* In a tray- such as a disposable aluminum foil baking dish in Photo-Flo solution, mixed as per the instructions on the bottle. Keep it a room temperature and agitate once in a while and allow it to soak overnight and gently try to remove the print from the glass.

* Oftentimes colour prints become especially adhesive. Using a solution of the stabilizer in which it was originally processed, may be more effective.

There are no guarantees- the emulsion may over soften and begin to disolve, may blister or become "ferrotyped" and end up with glossy discoloured patches. The scanned copy may be easier to restore in post-processing.

We do the quite often- it ain't any kinda good fun!