This is a quick and dirty tutorial on making a mask from a single colour channel in Photoshop. Below is a B&W photo that needs some restoration, it has some bad damage on it. Most of the damage is the redish discolouration. So in order to fix just this area it would be real handy if we could make a mask of just that area so we can correct it. Fortunately there is a way. Step 1. Use the channel mixer adjustment layer to highlight which channel has the damage, using the red green and blue sliders. Step 2. Switch to the channel palette and copy one of the colour channels (doesn't matter which as the image is now B&W.) Step 3. Make the copied channel a selection.  Step 4. Apply this selection as a mask to any adjustment layer on your original image.  PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists. Click here for 'fancy view'

Colour photos can be affected badly by age or by breaking down of chemicals in the paper. Sometimes the easiest and most inexpensive solution is to turn the discoloured photo into black and white. This method if used correctly and with some careful use of the channel mixer adjustment layer in Photoshop, will remove the discoloration and give an nice evenly toned black and white image. Like the example below. This Photo is from   PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists. Click here for 'fancy view'

Below is an old photo that Katrina asked to be altered. It was very dark and discoloured. She wanted to just show the baby, but was very short on time and needed the image the next day as she was flying back to Australia. Thank for your help on such short notice   -Katrina PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists. Click here for 'fancy view'

When colour film became popular back in the 1970's the technology of the film and the process of developing the prints was in it's infancy and was a technology that was advancing with each year that passed. As such many of those original colour photos have not lasted as well as ones from later years. Lesley sent me some classic examples of discoloured photos from that era. PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists. Click here for 'fancy view'

Been a little while since my last entry. Seems that there just isn't enough time to do everything in life. Who knew!! But here is a lovely photo that I Nicole sent me. It needed some restoration in Photoshop to repair the damage around the hair and also some colour balance changes and improvements to the contrast. Thanks Richard! - Nicole. PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists. Click here for 'fancy view'

This is a favourite image of Michelle's. This photo was taken on an APS camera and has suffered from light damage. APS stands for Advanced Photo System. This image didn't look all that advanced. There is a mysterious shadowing and a red discolouration on the left hand side.  All of the damage has now been removed and the image can now be printed an enjoyed. Thanks again, really pleased with it, much appreciated . -Michelle  PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists.

Most old photo's were taken as 'Black and White'. There was no colour at all, just pure black and white photography. The brownish colour that is noticeable in lots of old photos is due to age and fading and discolouration of the chemicals in the print. Many people mistakenly believe this to be 'Sepia' toning.  Sepia toning did take place in old photos. Indeed the practice of sepia toning has been around for almost as long a photographic printing has. But it was expensive and a specialist process. Applied to a few rather than the masses of photos taken at the time. So as we see below, to accurately restore this photo, I have returned it to pure black and white, using photoshop.  PixelFIX - Photo restoration and photos repaired, from $15. The restoration and manipulation specialists.