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Raymond Herrera
Known Participant
October 28, 2019
Answered

How possible is it to colorize a black&white image?

  • October 28, 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 1577 views

There are colorized movies now. How accurate is that process? Let's say that it is known that the Germans wore green, can they use that information to detect other greens?

 

I have a number of photos from the 1960s and would like to convert them to the closest color.

 

TIA,

 

-Ramon F. Herrera

 

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Simmer1

    Here is a good tutorial that you may find useful:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fzb-qLL2wo

    4 replies

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    October 28, 2019

    It may be worth noting that if you are presenting the photos as historical (rather than just using them as interesting material) that some people would consider colorizing them grossly inappropriate, as bad as editing people into or out of pictures... just be aware not everyone thinks it improves things.

      R
      Raymond HerreraAuthor
      Known Participant
      October 28, 2019

      "just be aware not everyone thinks it improves things."

       

      My project is Free Open Source (Richard Stallman insisted in the "Free" as in "free speech" part). I am fond of saying:

       

      "Those files do not belong to me, they belong to The People".

       

      Please feel free to grab anything you like here:

       

      [Link removed by moderator]

       

      If somebody does not like the colorization, they can clone the whole website and modify it at will.

       

      Regards,

       

      -Ramon

       

      Simmer1
      Community Expert
      Simmer1Community ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      October 28, 2019

      Here is a good tutorial that you may find useful:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fzb-qLL2wo

        R
        Raymond HerreraAuthor
        Known Participant
        October 28, 2019

        Thanks so much, Simmer1

         

        Thanks to the assistance received in this forum, I located this expert and his company:

         

        (Link removed by moderator)

         

        -Ramon

         

        Chuck Uebele
        Community Expert
        Chuck UebeleCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 28, 2019

        Restoring color to b&w photos, requires lots of research as to what known colors were. There is no way to detect what those colors were in a b&w image. Some colors are known though records, others are just guessed at.

          JJMack
          Community Expert
          JJMackCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          October 28, 2019

          There are many online tutorials  Look for one that uses a color palette you create.  Form images the have the colors you want  in you colorized image.

          JJMack
            R
            Raymond HerreraAuthor
            Known Participant
            October 28, 2019

            Thanks, JJ Mack.

             

            The photos that I have in mind are historical, it is amazing that nobody has worked on improving them. I have some copies here:

             

            [Link removed by moderator]

             

            There are better ones in the National Archives.

             

            This is my project's website:

             

            [Link removed by moderator]

             

            -Ramon F. Herrera

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