Restoration Work

In the last few months, with some of the new digital tools available now, I've taken more of an interest in old photo restorations. I use a combination of Lightroom, Photoshop and Topaz software, usually in about that order, but with considerable back and forth. Each image has it's own needs, so it's a matter of choosing the right tools for the job. These photos are digitized from original 35mm slides, family photos taken mostly in the 50's and 60's. It makes for a fun and rewarding project, as each photo is a kind of puzzle to be solved.


Maureen Martin, on a camping trip in 1962 


Aunt Grace, a longtime family friend, 1950's


Brother Bruce Toms and our mother Betty, winter of 1957-58 reflecting in the window


Brother Bruce and Mom again


Pete & Jim Toms - Dad - 1963


My Grandfather Ernest J. "Judge" Toms, standing 2nd from left with clarinet. Taken around 1910, upper peninsula of Michigan


Brother David Toms, an Annapolis Midshipman, age 19, taken in 1969


Me - Craig Toms - age 4 in 1957


Dave, in our green pram

Washington, late 50's


Craig & Bruce with pups


Brother Bruce, 1958


Our childhood home in SW Seattle area, 1959, Normandy Park. A wonderful place for boys to grow up!


Me, Craig Toms with first camera, a Kodak Hawkeye Funflash, purchased with cereal box tops. Looking over Dry Falls in eastern Washington, summer of 1962. Note the added feet in the restored version, as they were cut off in the original photo - added back through the magic of AI - 

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Fun Stuff
Every so often a flash of "graphic joke" inspiration strikes and I get to work. Am upgrading software skills a bit and having fun with politics too. "The views expressed are solely the owner's". Here's a few you images might enjoy:
Minimalist
I've been experimenting with a kind of "Ironic Mininalism" project I assigned myself. Here's the brief, what I was aiming for broadly, which I met to a greater or lesser extent: - Say as much as possible with as little as possible - Lots of negative space, texture or repetition, simplified subject, bare essentials - Colors, vibrant or subdued, complementary - Appears real, looks "in-camera" - except there's an impossible element... - Off-kilter element creates a question, an immediate reaction in the viewer's mind - The image must ask / say / demand something: "Deal with THIS!" "What does it mean?" "Oh that's funny!" "Is this real?"
New Images
Bio / Contact
Award Winning Images
Below are images that have been judged in one or more Photographic Society of America recognized competitions. Judges representing the Coachella Valley Desert Camera Club (CVDCC), the Southern California Council of Camera Clubs (S4C), and the Coachella International Exhibition have reviewed and awarded each image as detailed:
Dark Sky Images
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