Saturday's Child - Crumbling Childhood

This poor photograph is crumbling to dust. Getting it into the scanner without more of it breaking away was a real challenge. But once done, it has been preserved and now sealed away in a protective envelope. The found photographs posted here are seldom restored at all. They are usually presented just as they appear. Occasionally however a bit of enhancement reveals important details. A bit of increased contrast usually does the trick. The creases and tears and other damage are left alone to help in the visualization of the photograph’s journey to our time. When any enhancement is done, usually the original scan is posted beside it for comparison. Although a photograph’s memory is much longer than ours, even it begins to fade over time. The wear and worry on this one was left in place and this result came from increased contrast along with a bit of “levels" adjustment. It was tempting to do a complete restoration but the scars help us understand what the photo has been through. Just looking at the condition of it made me a bit sad. But, now she will live on to bring a bright moment to anyone who sees her. There is a fragment of a word or a name very faintly penciled on the reverse. If I get brave enough to handle it again I will scan it and try to make it legible. This one has apparently been wet or at least in a very damp place a long time ago as it is crumbling badly now.

The Profile (more than you really wanted to know) is here.