How does one convert an older Black and White photo to the true color of the item photographed?

Question

Ok, I have an old black and white photograph from the early 1900's. I would like to try and see what the true colors were. The picture is of an old house. Is there software that can do this if so what is it. Can this be done, is it easy. Thanks for any help.

I do not know the original colors, and want the original colors or shades of the original. Based on current response seems not possible.

Answer 1

As mentioned above, there is no easy way.

Photoshop has a feature that will allow you to replace a color or various hues of a color with another color.

Image -> Adjustments -> Replace Color

However, if you don't know what the original colors were, there is no way to get an accurate reprint. You don't know for sure if the shirt was blue, yellow or even pink.

This process can be time consuming, however it can produce a nice looking reprint even if the colors are slightly off.

Answer 2

If you have photoshop, it's not too hard. It WILL, however, take a lot of time, and if the photograph has a lot of small pieces, it will be difficult. First choose one area that is all the same color (a shirt, an arm, a chair, a car, whatever). Use a mask to isolate the area and then to to replace color and replace it with whatever color you want.

Answer 3

This is not an automatic process even with software. There is no way to determine pale blue from light green from pink. Photoshop and some other software packages will allow the user to render the B/W photo into color, by it would require some time and effort.

Answer 4

No way, if you don't already know what the color was to begin with.

Answer 5

u use markers and dont forget to color inside the lines