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Thread ID: 124966 2012-05-30 11:47:00 What to use to clean an old B/W photo before editing with Gimp? PeterE (6851) Press F1
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1278534 2012-05-30 11:47:00 I have an old black & white photo that I wish to edit with the Gimp. The print is covered in fly dirt, too much to try with Gimp.

Is there something that I can safely use to clean the spots off prior to scanning and editing?

Thanks in advance, PeterE.
PeterE (6851)
1278535 2012-05-30 12:09:00 Many years ago I was faced with this problem, inherited some old family heirloom pics. As I recall you are heading for dangerous territory with a very real risk of ruining the photo. There are expert archivists or professionals around and some employed at museums and city art galleries you could phone for advice. The consensus though is clean distilled water and super soft cotton pads used with extreme caution or the professionals have access to special solutions. Frankly I'd recommend doing the job with photo editing. PeteS (12500)
1278536 2012-05-30 21:12:00 Try scanning it first and then using Gimp or some other photo editing software to remove the fly spots and other blemishes.

Unless you like living on the wild side, that would be the safest option. Wetting the print in some form could end up doing more damage than good.

If you have the negatives, then there are options available for cleaning them first before scanning.
PinoyKiw (9675)
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