He did it without Photoshop!

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

Today's restoration is mostly done digitally. But take a look at chemical restoration.

http://petapixel.com/2015/06/01/the-magic-of-a-chemical-photo-restoration-process/

Trail Images · Jun 2, 2015

WOW, simply an amazing art......thanks for sharing.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

I'd like to hear from PE on the chemical magic in that video.

pdeeh · Jun 2, 2015

There's nothing "magic" going on, any more than any other photographic process.

It seems to be a case either of simple rehal bleach redevelop or bleach and tone, both of which are often subjects of discussion here.

We need a photographically-literate Japanese speaker to view this -- and we've got a few Japanese residents on the board, so let's hope one trips over this thread

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 2, 2015

I just watched the video (with sound muted) while my students were writing an exam. My Japanese is fairly decent so I might be able to help if anyone has any questions.

MattKing · Jun 2, 2015

This technique - bleach and redevelopment - is also useful if you want to demonstrate darkroom procedures outside a darkroom.

The redevelopment works fine in room light, so you can just dim the lights a bit (for mood), insert a previously bleached print into the (re)developer and your audience can marvel as the image magically appears before them.

Add a red filter on the lens, and your resulting film/video duplicates how all those movies/TV shows with darkroom scenes accomplished their "art".

The expertise needed, is the prior evaluation of the print, in order to determine whether it has previously gone through a toning process that would require a different treatment.

Sirius Glass · Jun 2, 2015

Better living through chemistry.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

Thanks for the offer

Andrew O'Neill said:
I just watched the video (with sound muted) while my students were writing an exam. My Japanese is fairly decent so I might be able to help if anyone has any questions.

I loved it when the women said "She had a good face". The Japanese are so polite.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

It's still magic to me

pdeeh said:
There's nothing "magic" going on, any more than any other photographic process.

It seems to be a case either of simple rehal bleach redevelop or bleach and tone, both of which are often subjects of discussion here.

We need a photographically-literate Japanese speaker to view this -- and we've got a few Japanese residents on the board, so let's hope one trips over this thread

Ah. It's the same process as some sepia toning processes. No I wonder how long will the restoration will last?

pdeeh · Jun 2, 2015

The only thing that I noted as being slightly odd was that he appeared to be mixing up a permanganate bleach, which I thought would only be used in a reversal process (and it appears he's following that with a clearing bath to remove the stain)

However I suppose as "he's the only person in the world doing this" perhaps he has got some sort of magic process going on ... or ... or ...

MattKing · Jun 2, 2015

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Ah. It's the same process as some sepia toning processes. No I wonder how long will the restoration will last?

Not necessarily.

You can use standard print developer for the redevelopment stage. In which case you obtain a standard, un-toned image.

One tends to do that when one is aiming to partially bleach an image, but the bleach goes too far. So you re-develop in developer, fix, wash and then start over (hoping to hit just the right amount of bleaching the second time).

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

I wonder if he's ever ruined a client's photos

MattKing said:
Not necessarily.

You can use standard print developer for the redevelopment stage. In which case you obtain a standard, un-toned image.

One tends to do that when one is aiming to partially bleach an image, but the bleach goes too far. So you re-develop in developer, fix, wash and then start over (hoping to hit just the right amount of bleaching the second time).

He looks like an old hand, but I wonder if he's gone too far and ruined someone's picture? There's too much of a pucker factor doing this kind of work for me.

removed account4 · Jun 2, 2015

in the video it says he has a patent on the process ..
how can someone have a patent on this?

it was a lot of fun to watch though

Gerald C Koch · Jun 2, 2015

I enjoyed watching the video. Thanks.

One thing it does prove is that permanganate bleaches DO work.

Gerald C Koch · Jun 2, 2015

pdeeh said:
The only thing that I noted as being slightly odd was that he appeared to be mixing up a permanganate bleach, which I thought would only be used in a reversal process (and it appears he's following that with a clearing bath to remove the stai

A permanganate bleach can be used just like most other bleaches. Use of permanganate bleaches has increased due to restrictions on dichromate. Had he been doing this process a few decades ago he might have used a dichromate bleach.

Gerald C Koch · Jun 2, 2015

I observed the following steps to the process:

1) Prepared solution, hardener?
2) Wash
3) Rehalogenating bleach
4) Wash
5) Clearing bath
6) Wash
7) Exposure
8) Development
9) Wash

Fairly standard bleach and redevelop method. He used a weak solution of potassium permanganate to which he added two drops of acid. The developer appeared to be a paper developer.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 2, 2015

Gerald. I'm patenting the process. Thanks!

I'll be the Richard Prince of the process.

Marco Buonocore · Jun 2, 2015

Gerald, thanks for your observations - really great insight!

RobC · Jun 2, 2015

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Gerald. I'm patenting the process. Thanks!

I'll be the Richard Prince of the process.

You obviously missed the bit where it said he had already patented the process

ozphoto · Jun 3, 2015

Cool - nice to see the analog process alive and well!!

pdeeh · Jun 3, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
A permanganate bleach can be used just like most other bleaches. Use of permanganate bleaches has increased due to restrictions on dichromate. Had he been doing this process a few decades ago he might have used a dichromate bleach.

I've never seen a reference to using a permanganate bleach as a rehal bleach before (which doesn't mean I don't believe they exist, merely that I haven't come across a reference to them here or in older literature),

So to a weak permanganate bleach, he must also be adding a halide?

cliveh · Jun 3, 2015

Interesting, but the bit I liked was the use of the mini-tray with holes to transfer the print to other solutions without touching it.

Europan · Jun 3, 2015

The Japanese are masters of thoroughness. Not only does this restorer dissolve finely ground permanganate but he also begins with soaking the paper in a solution of sulfuric acid. The acid is thus in the gelatine before the bleaching agent. Then he sticks to times, one sees him observe and can hear his LPL darkroom clock tick (I have one, too). With the loupe he cannot see any grain structure or toning compounds. He investigates where the last traces of black are, in other words the strength he will need with the process: exposure, development.

Someone wrote as a comment to the video that experts often belittle things in the net. I must say that Id never intend to belittle such craft but for a photographer or for me as laboratory technician theres no miracle around. If the guy has a patent on this, it can only cover specifications of a process. Chemically he is on common ground.

darkosaric · Jun 3, 2015

Europan said:
The Japanese are masters of thoroughness.

Japanese are awesome. I can feel the love in this video, and on top of that:

Gerald C Koch · Jun 3, 2015

pdeeh said:
I've never seen a reference to using a permanganate bleach as a rehal bleach before (which doesn't mean I don't believe they exist, merely that I haven't come across a reference to them here or in older literature),

So to a weak permanganate bleach, he must also be adding a halide?

If you oxidize silver in the presence of halide ion you will get a silver halide like AgCl or AgBr. It doesn't matter how the silver is oxidized.

Some informed guesswork here since I don't read Japanese and can't read the bottle labels. Also the video is careful not give away to many specifics. So he could have also added potassium bromide. We see the inventor measure out permanganate and dissolve it in water. He also makes another solution to which he adds two drops of liquid. Permanganate bleach requires that it be acidic so I assume that this is acid. Just before use he mixes the two solutions. Now if he were making the classic bleach the acid would be concentrated sulfuric acid. However if you look carefully at the video the drops are not syrupy as would be the case for conc sulfuric acid. Since a halide must be present it could be hydrochloric acid that he is using. Halide ions and acidity in one.

If you watch the video carefully then there is a lot you can find out.

He did it without Photoshop!

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