Serving the Tri-Cities of East Tennessee and the Southwestern Virginia area
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Welcome! Do you have old photographs that have seen better days, or portraits in need of retouching? Picture frames that have broken or need refinishing? What about that box of pictures you've been meaning to make into a slideshow for your parents' anniversary? Maybe you need copies of a picture that is too large for most scanners, or a photo that's stuck to glass? I can take care of all that for you. 
With over thirty years' experience, I can provide these services and many others to restore and preserve your cherished photographs. From repairs and restorations to archiving for future generations, when you entrust your photos to me, each one receives the full care and attention it deserves until the completed project is delivered back to you. 
"We found this picture in the top of my aunt's barn... can you fix it?" 
Yes, I can! Exposure to elements such as heat or humidity (or chickens!) can often cause a photo to deteriorate rapidly, but the likeness can generally be preserved if the picture is rescued before too many years have passed. "Grandpa carried this picture in his wallet for years... can you fix it?" 
Yes, I can! In a case like this, it helps if you can provide other photos of the people so that I have something to go by. "We had a little accident with my husband's baby picture... can you fix it? And can you make a black and white copy in a smaller size to fit better on our wall?" 
Yes, I can! Accidents happen to the best of us, and this can be easily fixed. And converting any photo to black and white (or even sepia-tone for the antique look) is a simple process once the repair is done. "How do you do that?" A high-resolution scanner is utilized to make a digital copy of your picture. After that, I use a combination of digital technology and old-fashioned drawing and painting to make the repairs and changes to the digital copy. Your original photo will be returned to you unchanged. Once I've completed your project, a new photo print is made on archival paper, and the file is saved to a disc. The disc is delivered to you along with your print; you may use it to make more prints, upload to your computer for e-mailing and sharing online, or whatever you choose. "Wow! What else can you do?" In addition to photo restorations, I also offer a number of other services. Colorization & Variations 
This black and white photo was not only restored but also colorized. The client supplied notes on appropriate colors, and they were added to the photo once the damaged areas were repaired. For your project, colors could also be obtained from other snapshots, clothing samples, etc., but if none of that is available and all you have is a mental picture or general idea of what colors should be used, I can usually work with that. 
The reverse process is also available; color photos can be converted to black and white for a more artistic look, or sepia for that antique feel. This photo had a new background put in to take away some of the distracting elements, and then most of the photo was desaturated to black and white, leaving a hint of color in some areas. Photo Alterations 
In this project, the couple in the photo had gone on a once-in-a-lifetime trip out west... but the only photo that was taken of them at the Grand Canyon was accidentally deleted from the memory card. Fortunately, they had a few other pictures they'd taken of the Grand Canyon, and they had a few photos of themselves that were taken on the same trip. I was able to combine a couple of these pictures to replace the photo that was lost. This process can also be used when you're trying to get a good group shot. You know what happens: no matter how many shots you take, someone's always blinking or looking away or making a face or not smiling... or someone walked across in the background... or you didn't get to be in the picture because you were busy taking the picture. Not to worry. Bring me your shots and I'll combine them to make one great shot of your group. I can also take out the distracting stuff you didn't mean to get in the picture - like the fence in the sample below. Retouching 
Retouching involves small alterations to remove blemishes or unwanted elements. This photo of a horse didn't turn out quite as well as the photographer had hoped; it was a little washed-out, and the fence was in the way. I was able to remove the fence and adjust the density to get closer to the actual color of the horse. I also retouched the spots where there were burrs on the horse. Collages 
Sometimes several photos are taken at an event but there's only room for one in the scrapbook or newsletter. A collage gets all the shots into one photo, saving work and space. It also makes a great keepsake for people who attended - or even folks who couldn't be there. 
Slideshows The slideshow makes a great addition to events such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties, graduations, or any occasion where you'd like to share a number of photos with a group of people without having to pass your photo album around the room. You bring your pictures; I scan them and arrange them on a DVD for you, ready to play. They can be arranged in a particular order, if you prefer, and music can be added. Text and dates can also be added to individual photos or between slides - helpful for family gatherings where everyone may not recognize all the relatives from many years ago. 
Audio & Video Although audio cassettes are becoming less common, I can still offer the service of copying them or transferring them to CD. A limited amount of editing is possible, but please be aware that improvement in sound quality is highly unlikely. As with any digital-from-analog transfer, the copy is limited by the quality of the source tape. Video transfers to DVD are available from VHS tapes, MiniDV tapes, and some VHS-C tapes, as well as media cards and some hard-drive camcorders. Some editing services may also be available, depending upon the project. As with sound recordings, improvement in visual quality is unlikely; editing is limited to eliminating gaps or unwanted parts of the original recording. (These services are available only for your own videos; I cannot copy professional or copyrighted material for you without a copyright release.) Framing 
A variety of framing projects are available, from simply putting your photo in a frame to shadow-boxing collections of items. You may supply your own frame, order a custom frame from the catalogs I have available, or if you prefer, I may be able to find a frame locally for you. I can also restore old frames in need of repair. (Sorry, I cannot replace broken convex glass.) For displaying your picture, matting and conservation-style framing is strongly recommended to help protect your print from damage by humidity, exposure to light, etc. Business Cards & Calling Cards 
Your card stands out when it's printed in full color with your own photo. Don't have a photo but have an idea? Tell me about it and I probably have a photo on file that would make a great background for your card. All you need to supply is the information you want on your card. Pricing Please bear in mind that because of the nature of the process on most of these services, there is a wide range of pricing and turnaround time. In order to give you an accurate estimate and a fair price, I need to look at your project and assess what needs to be done. Contact me to arrange a free consultation. I look forward to hearing about your project! (423)943-1324 P.O. Box 3024, Johnson City, TN 37602 E-mail: foxfire919@yahoo.com. Thank you for your business! Many thanks to the people who generously agreed to let me post their images as examples on this website: the Doanes, the Stoddards, the Montgomerys, the Nippers, Janet, Gordon and Mom! © Copyright 2009-2011 by P.L. Miller |