Why Don’t Documentaries Restore Photos?

KH
Posted By
Ken Hall
May 22, 2004
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605
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8
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Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken
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E
edjh
May 22, 2004
Ken Hall wrote:
Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken

I think sometimes they do but sometimes they don’t because they feel it adds atmosphere to the story. The Burns’ things are usually pretty savvy visually.

—
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R
Rick
May 22, 2004
"Ken Hall" wrote in message
Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Why don’t you call Ken Burns and ask him?
http://www.florentinefilms.com/ffpages/contact.html

Rick
PJ
Paul J Gans
May 23, 2004
Ken Hall wrote:

Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken

I think that there may be a feeling that any restoration adds some of the restorer’s view to the image.

—– Paul J. Gans
J
john
May 23, 2004
In article , Ken Hall
wrote:

Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Principles, perhaps?
G
gareeeNospam!
May 23, 2004
Probably just cost. It not only takes time, but money to restore old photos, and if you are using 30-40 for a show, and each takes a week to clean up properly, then that would delay the show by months, PLUS would add a hell of a lot to the budget.

—
Gareee
R
Roberto
May 23, 2004
Probably do to time involved. Money and copyright ownership. Not to mention the problem with them being accused of revisionist history if they restored a Photo, then there is no proof that it wasn’t altered in some other way besides just correcting tears and such. Most because of the time and money involved. The probably have limited budgets being PBS and all and far more important things to do.

Besides it would be like restoring the Titanic to do a documentary on it.

Jeey

"Ken Hall" wrote in message
Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken
U
Uni
May 24, 2004
Paul J Gans wrote:
Ken Hall wrote:

Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken

I think that there may be a feeling that any restoration adds some of the restorer’s view to the image.

Very well said, Paul. In other words, there’s no such thing as a perfect restoration.

Uni

—– Paul J. Gans
JK
JP Kabala
May 24, 2004
Just a guess, but I suspect it’s a style thing.
A visual shortcut to "this is old and original" in the viewer’s mind.
If you want to see an effective use of archival
and pseudo-archival still photography, both
restored and not, rent Seabiscuit on DVD
It’s a very "pretty" movie and moves from
stills to film, sepia/b&W to color, and John
Ford-like sweeping cinematography to more
intimate stuff– it’s a visual treat.
"Ken Hall" wrote in message
Does anyone know (not guess) why many documentary shows such as Ken Burns PBS do nothing to restore the photos they use. I often see severely damaged photos which detract significantly from the picture and which could be greatly improved or totally restored to their original appearance by a competent photo restorer.

Ken

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