The Ethics of Photo Restoration: Altering History or Preserving Memories
The process of repairing, enhancing, and preserving old photographs that have been damaged or degraded over time is rarely questioned when used for personal use. However, when it comes to historical purposes there is often controversy. As the technology for photo restoration has advanced, so have the ethical questions surrounding it. The question of whether or not it's morally acceptable to alter a historical photograph has become a topic of debate among professionals and academics.
The other side of this coin suggests that photo restoration can be seen as a way of preserving history and memories. By restoring and preserving old photographs, we can ensure that they will last, future generations will therefore be able to appreciate the history. In many cases, old photographs are in a poor condition and restoring them is the only way to preserve them.
The main argument against preserving photographs is it can be seen as a way of altering history. By changing the colours, composition, or even the context of a photograph, we risk distorting the historical record and changing the way people understand the past. Additionally, many believe that restoring a photograph in a way that it no longer reflects the original image, would be disrespectful to the people and events depicted in the photograph, as well as to the photographer's original intentions.
This viewpoint also extends to the worlds of archeology and museum curation, both disciplines have many ethical issues that require very complex discussions. When restoring an object it is widely accepted that any restoration or conservation work must be reversible (meaning that anything added to an item would have to be removable without damaging the item itself). It’s also important that any restorations remains faithful to what the object original looked like and no artistic licence is deployed.
“Alterations, additions and partial destruction of an artefact can tell us a lot about that object’s historical significance and social and cultural context. Conservation can reveal important information for research and audience development purposes about the object’s original conception and intended use. Should museums and galleries ever restore an object to its original state?”
When it comes to digital photo restorations, in order to address these ethical concerns, it's important for photo restorers to consider the context and historical significance of the photograph before making any changes. For example, if a photograph is of a historical event, it's important to be mindful of the historical context and make sure that any changes made to the photograph don't alter the historical record. In cases like this, it's best to err on the side of caution and make minimal changes to the photograph.
In addition, it's important to be transparent about the changes that have been made to the photograph and to clearly label the restored version as such. This will help to ensure that people understand the historical context of the photograph and that the restoration doesn't alter the historical record.
My personal view on the topic is that any restoration or colourisation serves as an additional visual aid and should be displayed alongside the original image and shouldn’t completely replace the original. At Make New Again we make sure that all restorations and colourisations carried out by us never alter, damage or affect the original image in any way. It’s important to us the the original remains in its current condition whilst in our care. This goes for historical images as well as personal photographs.
To summarise, photo restoration is a powerful tool for preserving memories and history, but it's important to consider the ethical implications of the process. By being mindful of the historical context and by making minimal changes to the photograph where applicable, we can ensure that the restoration process doesn't alter the historical record, but rather preserves and adds to it.
Further Reading
Museum Association: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/opinion/2009/11/14250-2/#
Little Dot Studios: https://blog.littledotstudios.com/en-gb/news-views/opinion-the-ethics-of-historic-photo-colourisation
Petapixel: https://petapixel.com/2021/05/18/the-controversial-history-of-colorizing-black-and-white-photos/