 Lori |
Fixing Poor-Quality Photos After browsing this site, I have come to the conclusion that most of the photos I consider of poor quality were probably due to having them developed at an el-cheapo place. My question is: Is there any way to salvage these photos? If I take the negatives to a better lab, can they re-develop? Will this fix the problem? Or are these negatives doomed, since I took them to a cheap lab in the first place? Thanks for answering! Lori (not a pro, just a mom who wants good photos).
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Jon Close |
Even most cheapo labs do a pretty good job developing the negatives. The processing is done by fully automated machines, but if they are really sloppy the negatives can be scratched if the operators don't keep the machine clean. It's possible a really bad operator may not replenish the chemicals often enough. Once developed, negatives cannot be re-developed. Where the cheap labs tend to fall down is in making prints, where they may not get the color balance right, may over- or mis-compensate for exposure (print too light or too dark), not precisely focus the enlarger, crop too much or indiscriminately, etc. Check your negatives with a magnifying glass or loupe for focus and detail in highlights/shadows. Problems in these areas of the negative would not be the lab's fault. Have good negatives reprinted at a different lab.
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pcmlphotography.com - Pamela C.M Lammersen Contact Pamela C.M Lammersen Pamela C.M Lammersen's Gallery |
Hello Lori. Jon's answer is a good one and explained well. When you take your negs to a different lab, ask the customer service person to show you a normal, overexposed, and an underexposed neg. That way you will be able to see the difference and know if it is you, your camera, the lab or printing that is at fault. Ask them to use one of your own negs (bring in the whole developed roll and the prints you are not happy with). They will help point out possible improvements, and reasons something may have gone wrong, assuming anything did. And never be afraid to go back to a lab that you think has done a bad job - especially if the negs are damaged in some way. Good luck and don't let it get you down - just keep shooting ... "Your imagination is your only limitation." <
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Lori |
Thanks for the quick answers! I will try your suggestions, hope for the best, and probably end up buying a new camera.
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John A. Lind |
I agree completely with Jon. A print is a "photograph" of the film made using a print machine. As such it's subject to equivalents of all the problems that can occur when making the original photograph (focus, exposure, etc.). A bad print maker (or poorly maintained machine) will make terrible prints. OTOH, most film developing chemistries and the processes are highly defined and tightly controlled. Unless you've done something unusual such as push or pull the film by shooting it at a different film speed than it's rated one, there's only one way to develop it. C-41 process (color negative) is very specific in chemicals and procedure, as is E-6 (Ektachrome slide) and K-14 (Kodachrome slide). An exception is true B/W film for which there are similar but different chemistries that can be used. For each one there's pretty much a standard process though. -- John Lind
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