Are you a Photoshop expert? We need volunteers

Brian Ambrozy August 30, 2008 1:00 AM ET in Tech

I’ve had a project kicking around in the back of my mind for a few years now. It recently came up again and I decided to really move on this.

The idea started when we visited my ex-wife’s grandmother in the nursing home one day. It was about a week before her birthday and she had shown us a really old photo of her and her husband on their wedding day, in 1948. The photo was ripped, waterstained, bent, and in horrible shape. Still, she kept it in a box right by her bed, and it was clearly very important to her.

Crappy old photos beware!

Instead of just giving her a card for her birthday, I managed to get the photo. I scanned it in, and spent a few hours retouching it for her. Once I was satisfied, I printed it out on high quality photo paper and framed it, and we presented it to her for her birthday.

I’ll spare you the emotional details, but her reaction inspired me to think about doing this as a full fledged volunteer project.

My vision is to create a mechanism for people to get old, ruined photos from people (especially elderly people in nursing homes or hospitals), get high quality scans, and somehow be able to connect those scans with a pool of volunteer photo-retouching experts. After the photos are retouched, we will get (possibly framed) prints, archival copies on some kind of media, and the original returned to their owners.

This project would have historical as well as sentimental merit. I’m sure there are family trees, museums, and others who could benefit from high quality, permanent archival photos of a bygone era. I can’t wrap my head around some of the deeper impacts a project like this can have, so I’m sticking with the sentimental value to drive me ;)

So here’s what we need:

• A catchy name for this project!
• People who can make the initial gathering step happen
• Someone who can design a backend system to expedite the process
• A pool of photo retouchers
• A source for prints / frames
• Good PR!

As usual, I’m a dreamer, and while I excel at that part, I always need help with the “doing” part. So here we are. Let’s talk. What can we do to make this happen?

Let’s talk about it here.

38 Comments:

1. PurplezArctic

   Crashing out at supermarts.

   
   30 Aug '08, 6:25 pm

   A very good idea, indeed! I'd be willing to volunteer myself to retouching photos. Or at least I'd would like to give it a shot, for I'd like to consider myself having above mediocre skills.

   I'd love to see this take off.

   *Volunteer*
2. UPSLynx

   The Dean of Computer Graphics

   
   30 Aug '08, 6:34 pm

   Count me in for retoucher's pool, or possibly backend dev. Anyways, just count me in.

   I obviously know a thing or two about web development, and I love working in Photoshop, been using it for about 8 years now. I even did some antique photo retouching back in high school, so I'm experienced.

   Great idea Prime, this could be a great way to set Icrontic apart with something not only unique, but very personal.
3. Thrax

   Cad

   
   30 Aug '08, 7:03 pm

   I fix:

   
4. DogDragon

   Veteran Icrontian

   
   30 Aug '08, 8:44 pm

   I pat you on the back for this Idea Prime
   It's a good one, I know people that had pics that were
   dying and would wish for what you are offering.
5. PurplezArctic

   Crashing out at supermarts.

   
   30 Aug '08, 9:07 pm

   Quoting Thrax

   I fix:

   

   Ohai metoo.

   <-- Gimp for lyfe
6. MrBill

   Support Our Troops

   
   30 Aug '08, 9:22 pm

   I have no photoshop skills, but kudos to those of you that do and are willing to donate your time. Well done!
7. TiberiusLazarus

   I Miss Keebler

   
   30 Aug '08, 10:41 pm

   Great idea and would be a real use for a lot of people. My photoshop skills are limited at best, but I would be willing to volunteer to do something, help with backend setup or whatever.
8. Kwitko

   Sheriff of Dicktown

   
   30 Aug '08, 10:50 pm

   For the backend, I'm sure with all the talented programmers we have here we'd all be able to put our heads together and come up with a slick check in/out script to manage files. Also to be able to keep multiple copies/versions of files for approval.
9. Winfrey

   kaishakunin

   
   31 Aug '08, 1:02 am

   A catchy name for this project!

   How about "fix yo' pix!"
   or "Memories Completed"
   or "Icrontic's Photoshop for the Community"

   Just some suggestions.

   Really cool idea, and an awesome thing to do, especially for those who couldn't hope to accomplish retouching a photo by themselves.
10. Crazy Joe

    Cousin Zeke

    
    31 Aug '08, 1:09 am

    I would be willing to be a volunteer on the touchup staff. Here is my quick take on the pic.
11. Thrax

    Cad

    
    31 Aug '08, 1:20 am

    You edited out the stone ground. Now it looks like they're being eaten by a great mass of white. :P
12. bothered

    pondering and wandering along

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:13 am

    I don't pretend to have the skills of some of you guys but what a great idea. I'm not too bad at photoshop though and could do some of the basic stuff, get it ready for more expert treatment perhaps?
    I do, as it happens, also have a picture in my PC that desperately needs this treatment. It is of my paternal Grandparents (born late 1800s?). I didn't want to be the one to set a precedent and just post it so if anybody would/could like a go?
13. chiaz

    Spyware Mod

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:37 am

    What a great idea!

    I know nuts about photo editing, but I really hope this project can go through. Let me know if I can help in other ways!
14. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:41 am

    Remember, we need help with more than just retouching. You could somehow be a part of this by actually collecting/scanning photos, bothered. There's no reason this can't have global reach. The internet is magic sorcery
15. Snarkasm

    The Photographer.

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:43 am

    I'll do.... something. You know my skillz.
16. bothered

    pondering and wandering along

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:00 am

    Quoting primesuspect

    Remember, we need help with more than just retouching. You could somehow be a part of this by actually collecting/scanning photos, bothered. There's no reason this can't have global reach. The internet is magic sorcery

    Count me in, I'm at your disposal.
17. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:06 am

    Let's start with you uploading the highest res copy of that image you were talking about, and letting the wizards work their magic on it. We can use it in our gallery of work we've done
18. bothered

    pondering and wandering along

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:20 am

    Here it is, a daunting snap to be sure. It's from the 40's, or maybe 50's and in quite poor condition.
19. Gargoyle

    We can't stop here...

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:20 am

    Awesome idea!

    Can we collect metadata on these photos?

    • Date
    • People or objects in photo
    • Location

    The above can be approximate.

    Along with:

    • Photo source, copyright holder
    • Name of volunteer photoshopper
    • Notes on any possible lost information in the photo due to original damage or repair technique
    • Medium: is this from an original photo print, a colorized enlargement, slide, etc.
20. Gnome Queen

    Ms. D

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:24 am

    I don't have any photoshop or computer skillz...but I could supply the cookies?
21. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:26 am

    So here's what we need:

    • A catchy name for this project!
    • People who can make the initial gathering step happen
    • Someone who can design a backend system to expedite the process
    • A pool of photo retouchers
    • A source for prints / frames
    • Good PR!
22. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:29 am

    Garg, I agree on the metadata. As much information as possible would be awesome, and of historical significance.

    We need to set standards for scans as well. None of these photos will have been digital to begin with, so we'll need, as much as possible, extremely high res scans (I'm thinking 300dpi minimum with 600dpi being ideal), greyscale mode for sepia or bw photos, and CMYK for color photos. TIFF format for all photos with jpg available for screen viewing, but TIFF for printing and archival purposes, etc. TIFF will handle all EXIF data that we could possibly need for this project.
23. pragtastic

    IC Regular

    
    31 Aug '08, 9:33 am

    Great idea Prime.

    I'd like to hear some additional thoughts on the requirements you had in mind for the backend system. As much detail as possible would be great. Looking forward to seeing an awesome project out of IC
24. Crazy Joe

    Cousin Zeke

    
    31 Aug '08, 12:02 pm

    Quoting Thrax

    You edited out the stone ground. Now it looks like they're being eaten by a great mass of white. :P

    True dat. Said it was a quick edit. For some reason when I was looking at it last night I thought those were cracks in the photo. Fixt.
25. MrBill

    Support Our Troops

    
    31 Aug '08, 12:53 pm

    Quoting primesuspect

    • A catchy name for this project!

    A reTouch Of Class

    Icrontic.com's Memory Restoration Project -or- Icrontic.com's Community Photo Restoration Project

    The Icrontic Photograph Time Machine -or- The Icrontic Time Machine for Photographs
    We'll turn back the clock on your aged/damaged photographs
26. PurplezArctic

    Crashing out at supermarts.

    
    31 Aug '08, 2:46 pm

    Quoting primesuspect

    TIFF format for all photos with jpg available for screen viewing, but TIFF for printing and archival purposes, etc. TIFF will handle all EXIF data that we could possibly need for this project.

    So all retouched photos should be saved under TIFF and JPG (Making two separate files)? Or just TIFF and then converted later to JPG once they are ready to be displayed in the gallery?
27. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:06 pm

    I'm not sure there will be a gallery at all

    this is for individual people who normally would never have access to a community of experts like this.

    I mean, I definitely think we'll need a few, if people give us permission, just to showcase the work we can do, but for the most part, most of the work will probably be kept private.
28. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:15 pm

    We need a very solid check in/check out system for this to work properly. Our system has to look like this:

    Volunteers collect photos -> Photos are scanned and returned to owners -> scans are uploaded as high res TIFFs to our app -> photos are assigned to retouchers and "checked out". -> fixed photos are uploaded to our app and "checked in" -> Fixed photos have metadata applied if possible -> Fixed photos are archived, printed, framed, and shipped to volunteer for return to owners.

    NOW HIRING VOLUNTEER APPLICATION DEV TEAM LEADER

    I'm looking for someone serious to lead up the backend team. I need someone with a high level of web/app dev experience, who can organize, build a web app for collaboration, strategize, and make this happen quickly.

    I won't be doing the "hiring" of the web devs/db devs, but we need a world class application to make this happen properly. I will be hiring the dev team leader.

    Please submit your resume to me via email

    brian at icrontic dot... well, you know.

    Must be:

    • Willing to put in several unpaid hours a week
    • Have team mangement experience
    • Highly experienced in open source web technologies, PHP/MySQL or Ruby, etc.

    Please include portfolio information in your resume or email.
29. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:17 pm

    Aaaand I just realized we need to figure out logistics of finished products being returned to the owners. Do we have local volunteers to print the stuff? we'll need someone to supply consumables (paper and ink), we'll need some kind of standard for prints, and of course we'll need shipping.

    I was hoping to avoid monetary involvement, but that's probably gonna be impossible.
30. jared

    Howdy Damnit

    
    31 Aug '08, 3:53 pm

    for all the file/revision history couldn't you just use basecamp or any of the other free opensource project collaboration apps?
31. MrBill

    Support Our Troops

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:02 pm

    Quoting primesuspect

    Aaaand I just realized we need to figure out logistics of finished products being returned to the owners. Do we have local volunteers to print the stuff? we'll need someone to supply consumables (paper and ink), we'll need some kind of standard for prints, and of course we'll need shipping.

    I was hoping to avoid monetary involvement, but that's probably gonna be impossible.

    Perhaps the finished product (image file) could be uploaded to a printing facility of the picture owner's choice? Walmart and Walgreens offer this type of service as I'm sure others do as well. Then the picture owner (or whomever wanted it retouched) can pay for the print and framing if they so choose. Just a thought...
32. CB

    Doktor Schnabel von Rom

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:16 pm

    I'll help out where and when I can. I'm a dab hand with the clone tool, and my father has a small graphics/printing business here in Cincy from which I can utilize some of the resources.
33. TiberiusLazarus

    I Miss Keebler

    
    31 Aug '08, 4:17 pm

    Quoting jared

    for all the file/revision history couldn't you just use basecamp or any of the other free opensource project collaboration apps?

    I second this. There are many different types of opensource projects already available to do all the versioning and checkout stuff we're looking for. We just need to implement one of them.
34. Brian Ambrozy

    The Icrontic Guy

    
    31 Aug '08, 6:04 pm

    What I need is someone to make that happen. I know there are a million ways to do it.
35. Winfrey

    kaishakunin

    
    31 Aug '08, 11:16 pm

    Quoting MrBill

    A reTouch Of Class

    I like the sound of that one.
36. Thrax

    Cad

    
    31 Aug '08, 11:26 pm

    PhoRePro.

    Photo Restoration Project.
37. MrBill

    Support Our Troops

    
    1 Sep '08, 5:08 pm

    Okay. In this picture is my maternal great-grandmother, four of my brothers and me (center). Circa 1964. I believe the spots on my great-grandmother's face belong there with the exception of the one on her forehead. Two of my brothers in this picture are now deceased (front row left and back row right). I don't know if this picture can be salvaged or not and I don't know where the original is today -- I can try to see who has it if a higher resolution scan is necessary.

    If anyone wants to take a shot at retouching it, have at it. It can be used in a public album showcasing the volunteer team's abilities if so desired.

    Thanks,
    Bill
38. GHoosdum

    tequilavangelist

    
    2 Sep '08, 9:17 am

    Count me in for... something. I don't even own Photoshop because I can't afford it, so I'm out of the clone stamp business. But I'm always willing to pitch in some volunteer time.

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