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How Adding a Splash of Colour to Old Black & White Photographs Brings Them to Life

Looking back at old photographs brings a sense of nostalgia and allows people to reminisce on times gone by. Photos capture moments in time and can give a glimpse into someone’s history but often black & white photographs leave us wondering what it would look like if it were in colour.

Colourising old black & white photographs has become a popular trend in recent years and gives photos a new lease of life. Adding colour to old photos has never been easier, whether you want to colourise a black & white picture for a potential birthday or Christmas present for a loved one, or create a series of images from the First and Second World Wars and bring them to life for Remembrance Day like clothing retailer Chums have done for their latest campaign, #MemoriesInColour.

Reasons to colourise a black & white photo

Some people may prefer black & white photos but by adding colour to them, it can make them more real and relatable. More often than not, when we see an old photograph it can be hard to think of it as real life, especially if it was taken so long ago.

Colourising a black & white photo can help tell a story and allows us to make a connection to the places and people within it, whereas with black & white photos sometimes they can seem so outdated that we can’t relate to that period of time.

How to colourise a black & white photo

There are apps you can download from Google Play and the App Store that will convert your black & white photos into colourised images and this is something you can do easily. However, the colours may not be as accurate as they could be but if you’re just looking to experiment with the colourisation yourself then this is simple enough and easily accessible.

Restoring a photo can take hours and sometimes even days just to complete a single image. You may need to get rid of any scratches and stains that are on the photo before adding layers of colour. Another thing to consider is ensuring you get the right light, as this can affect the perception of colour. Getting the details right is important to make sure the photo is historically accurate as possible.

If you want the colours to be as accurate as possible consider hiring a freelancer who can spend a dedicated amount of time carefully bringing your photograph to life. A freelancer will carry out research to gather as much information to restore the image such as checking through diaries, government records and even clarifying what colour jewellery and uniforms were like from that particular period.

If you do have any old black & white photographs lying around, consider restoring and colourising them as they can make a perfect gift for a loved one, especially with Christmas just around the corner.