One of the things I really love about my business is that I never know from one day to another exactly what will be coming through my door.

The other day, a customer presented me with two old 8×10 photographs which needed restoration. While I could see they had aged and their color was faded and there were a few small tears that needed fixing, their biggest need was something I hadn’t ever seen before.

It seems that the client’s child, when he was in his toddler stage, decided that some of the pictures in the photo album needed a little artistic retouching. So armed with a indelible ink marker, he gave a mustache to a bride and a full beard to a little girl.

As endearing as these “improvements” were, the client stated he would rather have the pictures returned to their original state. As it happens, in this age of digital technology, wonders can be made to happen.

After digitally removing the scribbled facial hair, restoring the color and removing the tears, I was able to print out new photos for the client. For the record, the child who did this is now in his 30s. The client held onto the defaced photos for decades not knowing if they could ever be repaired.

Always ask if something can be done. Sometimes the answer will be no but there are times when we can turn back the clock and erase childish mistakes.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation (and if needed, restoration) of family memories. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit http://www.homevideostudio.com/mtd