Film & darkroom
Separate aged-film colour shift from scanner colour balance
A cast can come from the original material or from the modern scanning chain.
A decades-old colour booth strip may have faded, but a strong cast in a fresh scan may also be caused by settings. Preserve evidence from both the physical print and the scan before correcting either.
Compare the original under neutral light
View the print under even, neutral illumination and record the visible cast without a phone camera. If possible, compare it with another print from the same set. A phone photograph adds automatic white balance and should not be treated as a neutral measurement.
Evidence: University conservation institute
Inspect scanner controls
Check film or reflective-original mode, automatic colour restoration, preview exposure and profile settings. Scan the same area again with corrections reduced, keeping the first scan unchanged. Negative film needs inversion; a positive paper print does not.
Evidence: Scanner manufacturer manual
Label restoration as interpretation
Save an uncorrected scan and a separately named restoration. Describe whether the corrected colour is a visual estimate or based on a known reference. Without a reference image from the time of capture, do not claim that a restored version exactly recreates the original colours.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Image Permanence Institute, Photographic Print PreservationUniversity conservation institute
- Epson, Film Scanning ProblemsScanner manufacturer manual