I was finally able to ask Val Erde at Colouring the Past to colorize another photo from my collection.
I had a portrait of my paternal grandmother’s mother, Margarethe Wendel Klein, but it was in pretty bad shape.
I put it together like this for Val:
Using this photograph and researching from a “snapshot” I posted before.
Val was able to do a wonderful job with this damaged photo–both in sepia and in color.
RIP MARGARETHE WENDEL KLEIN
BIRTH 25 JUNE 1869 • Budesheim, Mainz-Bingen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
DEATH 24 MAY 1932 • Elmhurst, Du Page, Illinois, United States
The Family Kalamazoo 
WOW! What an amazing job! She came to life. Beautiful work by Val.
Val really does stellar work. I am so thrilled with this.
As you should be!
Wonderful!
I agree. Val is amazing.
Wow, Luanne!! This turned out great. 😍
I think so, too! I’m so pleased with it.
How good is it to have that lovely photo?
It is, isn’t it?! I’m so happy that Val was able to rescue a severely damaged photo and then to provide both the sepia and the color versions.
Phenomenal work on that photo! Blessed to have this photo.
I am so thrilled with it. My goal is to have all my great grandparents colorized eventually (of the photos that I own). This is the 3rd great Val has done for me.
So glad you’re happy with it, Luanne. Thanks. 🙂
Love it, Val!
Val always does wonderful work, and this is lovely!
Yes, I think so, too. I love what she does with skin tones, for instance. My great-grandmother clearly had pale skin and eyes, so it really looks like she has come to life here.
Amazing! While both photos are wonderful, I prefer the sepia only because it is more in line with the time frame, although the colorized one is very pretty.
Yes, it does fit more, and I am happy to have it because it is what the photo is meant to look like. So no more damage :). But the colorization makes my ancestors seem more as if I know them, which I really like. I guess the colorization is more of a personal wish, whereas the sepia is more historical.
I like that! Makes me think about possibly doing that for some of my ancestors.
Let me know if you do!
Luanne, this is incredible for photo restoration!! Who did you have do this? And did you have to send anything to verify the photo?
Val does stunning work. Val Erde at Colouring the Past blog. Here it is: https://colouringthepast.com/
If you send her by email a photo you want colorized, she can give you a quote. We discuss them a little bit each time, and she does some research.
Fantastic photo restoration! I usually do not like colorization of original photos but this one is nicely done.
What I said in a response above is that I like the colorization for the personal impact. Once I see my ancestors in color, they become “real” people to me. It makes more of a connection for me. So I was thrilled to get the sepia version for the correct historical one, but the colorized version for my own heart, if that makes sense.
What fun!
Amazing.
Isn’t Val clever?! How wonderful to get the photo restored and colourised.
She does a fabulous job!
How lovely! Both the sepia and the colorized.
Yes, I love them both! thanks, Joy.
Very nice photo restoration!
Thanks, Joe. I think Val did a great job!