colors Archives

Quick photo tip: Digitally restore old photos

Does your family have old photo albums? Have you ever spent time looking at all the old black and white or wonderful vintage sepia-colored images?

Old pictures capture lovely moments in time, like your serious-faced ancestors. They posed for their first photo with the family’s first Brownie or Polaroid camera. While it’s great to look through all those snapshots, it’s sad to see how faded, scratched or torn some can be.

But modern technology is fantastic, and you can restore damaged photos to their old glory. Before we jump into the steps, this process requires some photo editing skills and a program that uses layers, like Photoshop or GIMP.

Crop out the bad

First things first. Don’t want to pay for Photoshop? GIMP is a free alternative that has all the features of Photoshop without the cost. Tap or click here for direct download links. Now onto the editing.

Since old photos come in various sizes and formats, your first step should be cropping them to the dimensions you want. This allows you to remove problem areas like marred edges or bad vignette corners. This also helps you establish a focal point by allowing you to “zoom in” on the subject.

Need some inspiration for your own photography goals? Check out Dreamstime for thousands of amazing pro images and start getting inspired now!

Need some help cropping and editing photos? Tap or click here for five photo apps that make your pics better without any Photoshop skills.

Adjust colors

Think about the final image. What do you want it to look like? If the original is that beautiful sepia hue, but you want black and white, add a black and white layer. If it’s black and white, but you want sepia, add a photo filter effect. To colorize a black and white image, see my recent post on the topic.

Tap or click here for our Tech how-to: Colorize old black and white photos.

Next, add adjustment layers for Brightness and Contrast, then adjust the overall exposure with a levels layer. When working with older photos, you can lose definition, so it’s essential to use a Color Balance adjustment layer to tweak shadows, mid-tones and highlights.

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Fall is coming! Use this map to see where the leaves are changing

The changing of seasons usually brings with it a beautiful display of colors. Going from winter to spring or summer to fall, the myriad of hues can transform the landscape overnight.

But few seasonal changes are as dramatic as when it shifts from summer into the bright yellows, oranges and reds of fall. It can be a spectacle to behold, and many people travel around the country to see it up close. Tap or click here for seven travel hacks to save you time and money on your next trip.

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Brighten up your smile

Instead of spending a fortune at the dentist, upgrade your toothpaste to one that whitens.

Crest 3D White Advanced starts removing surface stains after just one use.
Purple toothpaste counteracts yellow for instant razzle-dazzle with no sensitivity.
Colgate Optic White Pro includes 5% hydrogen peroxide for super-quick results.
This Burt’s Bees option is fluoride-free if that’s your preference.
Tom’s of Maine includes nothing artificial (preservatives, colors or flavors) and is not tested on animals.

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New term to know: Photocatalytic. Chemists came up with a special paint that cleans itself. For the nerds: When UV light hits the surface, titanium oxide nanoparticles will jump-start a reaction that breaks down junk and pollutants. This could be a game-changer for buildings painted in light colors. Share this with your friends who will be amazed at your good looks and intellect.

4 colors

Mosquitoes love most: Red, orange, black and cyan (a bright green-blue). Researchers found the pesky bugs are most likely to ignore green, purple, blue and white. Summer color scheme: Check! ✅

Apple's $399 iPhone: Specs, how to order, is it worth it?

Upgrading to a brand-new smartphone often comes with a major price tag, anywhere from $700 to north of $2,000. Combine that with the fact that newer phones are lasting longer and now you don’t see as many people trading up with every new release.

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Now, that’s sharp!

This veggie chopper is 50% off and has a bunch of different dicing blades. No more onion fingers.
Henckels makes some of the best knives out there. This 15-piece knife set and block is 62% off.
Stop opening packages with a kitchen knife. Score a three-pack of minis for only $5 so you can have one in the garage, one on your keychain and one wherever else you want.
The best knife is a sharp one. This one (under $14) has different slots to get your blade back to tiptop shape and comes with a cut-resistant glove to wear.
Promise me you won’t cut anything on the counter with that newly honed knife. Love these pretty cutting boards in great colors.

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Bravo! Samsung has a new TV that comes with a free 8K TV, valued at $8,000. The 114-inch “ultra-premium” set costs $132,630 and uses Micro-LED display tech for enhanced colors, brightness and response times. They’re also throwing in a discount on a new pair of speakers and a $2,200 hotel stay. Sorry, but this offer’s for Korea only for now.

Bonus bathroom lighting

I’m a big fan of lighting. I was clicking through Amazon, looking for something to brighten up a dark corner, and stumbled onto a new-to-me category: Bathroom novelty lights.

Vanity light: This string of 10 LED bulbs attaches to your mirror with adhesive strips. With 10 brightness levels and three color temperatures, give your bathroom a dressing-room vibe. They’re 20% off ($11.92).
Roll light: A battery-powered nightlight ($12.89) that cleverly replaces your regular toilet paper spindle. It’s motion-activated and shuts off automatically after two minutes.
Rim light: Hang this little light over your toilet rim and never wonder if the seat is down again. It’s motion-activated, and you can cycle through its 16 colors or choose your favorite. A two-pack is 37% off ($13.77).

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Beep! Ding! Buzz!

The other day, I was at a friend’s house, and she used her microwave as a timer. I’m all for multitasking, but come on — terrible interface, beeping buttons and you have to walk across the room to turn it off! Forget that. Get one of these instead.

Digital: Set your timer easily by rotating this model’s big, bright screen. Read: No repeated button pressing! It’s magnetic, too, so you can stick it to your fridge or exhaust hood. Grab it on sale now for 30% off ($14.03).
Visual: Countdown timers are usually seen in classrooms, but I find them useful for tracking time left! This one maxes out at an hour, so it’s perfect for quick timers. Plus, it’s 33% off ($16.14) and comes in 14 fun colors.
Verbal: I used to joke that in our house, Alexa was mostly an expensive kitchen timer, but honestly, she’s a great kitchen timer (no hands!) and not that expensive. This colorful Echo Dot is 50% off ($19.99) and available in four great colors. Love the teal!

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Magnetic deals

There’s something about these products — they have a pull on me.

These magnets will hold anything on your fridge, even wedding invitations on thick paper stock.
Slightly less powerful but much cuter fridge magnets in fun colors.
For iPhones with MagSafe, a combination magnetic cardholder and phone stand.
Turn anything into a magnet with this tape.
Magnetic tiles are so cool and a great gift for just about anyone. Heck, I want some.

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