In the photo retouching world there has always been a niche for the historian, or simply those fascinated by our shared past. I myself started out as a restorer and colorist so it’s an area that holds special interest for me, and I’ve always enjoyed viewing the portfolios of those artists who painstakingly bring black and white to new life.
Royal Marine Commandos, D-Day; marinamaral.com
As an avid reader of history I’ve always been amazed by the freshness and what color brings to old black and white photographs. While they undoubtedly have a power in their original form, color often brings something new, something more real and present to these photographs, which humanizes the subjects. They become more alive, more now, like people from decades past who could be your friends, or neighbours.
US Military Police Read The News; marinamaral.com
Some of the most wonderful examples I’ve seen recently come from the studio of colorist Marina Amaral, an artist with a clear and exceptional sense of the way light plays with real textures, and how saturation is affected by light and shadow, giving her work a superb sense of realism.
RELATED: History of Retouching: Photographers and Retouchers Synergy in the Analog Photography Era
Peronne, 1916. marinamaral.com
The careful attention to detail and imagination combined with a professional understanding of light and color on display in her work is truly breathtaking.
You can view more of Marina’s fantastic work at www.marinamaral.com.
