Introducing The Photo Alchemist!

Olive Tree Genealogy is thrilled to introduce my readers to Claudia D'Souza aka The Photo Alchemist. I first noticed Claudia's amazing restorations and colourization of ancestor photos a few months ago. 

Read Claudia's story and visit her website at www.thephotoalchemist.biz

I have watched the video of Claudia colourizing a photo at least a dozen times. I'm fascinated by her technique and in awe of the finished product.  And now ... Claudia's story below

In 2009, I started researching my family history. Soon I was diving into the fortunes and misfortunes of my ancestors.

I marvelled at the explorer life of German great grandad Frederick, whose father was a founding member of the now extinct German Club in Burma, and who was forced to flee to India, and leave all his wealth behind, following the invasion of the Japanese; I cried as I unravelled the tragic life of British great grandma Jayne who, by the age of 23, had already buried three husbands and my heart broke while trying to discover the mysterious origins of Portuguese Grandfather Candido, who was abandoned at a doorstep of a rich doctor, on a cold Christmas Eve.

Claudia at The Genealogy Show in Birmingham England

Photographs became a huge part of my newly found obsession. If records, letters and documents are the bones of a family history, photos are without doubt the flesh. However, I was sad to find that photos were scarce, and often in very bad condition. I searched for restoration services, but they all required me to part with my precious originals, and there was no way on earth I was prepared to do that!

So, combining my advanced IT skills with my Fashion History passion and Art skills, I started exploring and developing ways of not only restoring and retouching old photos, but also adding carefully researched colour, enabling us to see our ancestors, just like they saw themselves and each other.
Knowing Grandfather Candido was abandoned on Christmas Eve felt 100 times more vivid, once I restored and colourised his photo and looked into his profound, sorrowful brown eyes.  Seeing the face of great grandma Jayne in colour, showed me a strong woman with whom suddenly I felt a deep connection even though we never met!

In 2017, I started interacting with genealogists across the world via social media and, after sharing one of my pieces online, I was flooded with requests for help with old photos. Realising I could help others and feed my passion, I quit my job as a Marketing Director and launched “The Photo Alchemist”.

Now I spend my days digitally bringing to life photos from clients all over the world, without the need for them to part with their precious originals. But the best part of my job is getting to know other people’s family histories, being trusted with their precious family photos, and playing a small part in keeping their legacies alive.

WEBSITE: www.thephotoalchemist.biz  
TWITTER: @Dsouza_Claudia
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/thephotoalchemist

Review of Top Hat Photo Repair and a Discount for my Readers

Recently a photo restoration service called Top Hat Photo Repair offered to restore a photo of my choice in exchange for a review of their services. I have dozens of old photos that need some restoration work so the offer was tempting.

However I my reviews are always honest so I had to warned them that if I didn't like the service they would not get a good review from me. Well I'm pleased to say I am very happy with the work they did! 

Here is the before photo. It's a very dark photo of my grandmother holding my mother ca 1916. 

I love this photo. Clothes on the line, Grandma's pocket bulging with clothespegs and my mom no doubt squirming in her arms. 

Here is the photo after Top Hat Photo Repair was finished restoring it. I can see Grandma's face better and my mom's face is completely visible now. They were very accommodating about doing more on the photo after sending me their first restoration. There were 2 small items I wasn't 100% satisfied with in the first attempt but I love the final product below.

Michael, of Top Hat Photo Repair has offered my readers a discount of 20% on photo restoration. Just use the promo code "olive"  This discount is good until September 15, 2014. Their prices are very reasonable and I hope some of my readers will be able to take advantage of this offer.

Landailyn - How Do I Love Thee?

Landailyn Research & Restoration is my new rave. I have a new love! Janine Smith, the restorationist, is the magic behind Landailyn.

I've read and heard a lot about Janine aka Landailyn over the past year and a few months ago I decided it was time to ask her to work her magic for me.

As many of my readers know, I rescue old photographs - CDVs (Cartes de Visite) from the Civil War era. I have over 3,000 now and many are online at Lost Faces  But I also have hundreds of family photographs that I have inherited as the semi-official Family Historian.

Some of my family photos are in bad shape - faded, torn, stained - you name it, these family treasures have experienced it. I've been thinking about how great it would be to have some of these photos cleaned up and the faces made more visible. So I chose three photos and sent them to Janine for restoration.

One photo was of my grandfather (who died before I was born) in England circa 1912. He's in a military camp with his buddies but the photo is so faded it's hard to distinguish his features.

A second photo was of my great-grandmother with her three young children. It was taken in Ramsgate England circa 1889 and is faded as well as having inked-in eyes.

My third photo was in very bad shape. It is a CDV of my great-great grandmother Sarah Stead nee Elvery. It was taken in England in 1866, just one year before she died en route to Sydney Australia.

Poor Sarah was only 32 when she died and I've longed to see her more clearly. In my photo her face is faded, the features barely discernable. The photo is torn and badly marked. Parts of her dress are missing or stained. Only bits and pieces of the floor are visible.

For a very reasonable fee, Janine took my three family photos and restored them. The restorations are beautiful! I am so impressed and pleased with the results!



Sarah before



Sarah after

Wow. Isn't it amazing! I can now see my great grandmother's face. Look at how crisp and clear the folds of her dress are and how gorgeous the checkerboard square floor is.

All three of my restoration projects turned out absolutely stunning. Janine's work is top-notch and I was pleased at how reasonable the cost was. She gave me a firm quote before work started - no estimates and then suprises at the end, I knew exactly what the project would cost.

Janine has tutorials at TipSquirrel.com, in Shades Of The Departed digital magazine, and on Lynda.com. I've watched some of her video tutorials and they are extremely well done.

Don't overlook Landailyn to put on your Wish List for a special day - your birthday, your Anniversary, Mother's Day, Father's Day... it would be a perfect Christmas Gift if you booked it ahead so Janine had enough time.

So to answer my own question in the title of this blog post ... Landailyn How Do I Love Thee... all I can say is... in too many ways to count!