"Salvation"

Vintage photo of a woman holding on to the cross from the waves about to engulf her.  Colorized from a photo by Fitz W. Guern ca 1890 or earlier.  This was another studio shot using painted backdrops as Guerin is famous for.  Used some creative liberties to composite real waves, sky, rocks and the wood ruins of a structure on which the lady stood.  This may have been inspired by paintings of the Noah Flood waters reaching mountain tops teeming with people, this time using Christian symbol of salvation.

Photo of an unknown lady by Fitz W Guerin colorized by Alex Y. Lim

Colorized photo of an unknown lady by Fitz W Guerin (1846 - 1903) taken ca 1890 or earlier.  Fitz served during the American Civil war and when he returned home, took up photography with most of his works centered on studio shots using backdrops painted with sceneries.

Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984), colorized from a photo by J. Malcolm Greany, ca 1950

John Malcoln Greany (1915 – 1999) was an American nature photographer and friend of Ansel Adams who made positive influence in his career as a photographer. In 1936 he went to Juneau, Alaska, joining Alaska explorer and promoter Bernard R. Hubbard on an expedition along the Taku River. Greany settled in Juneau in 1938 following his marriage to his wife Irene. During World War II he worked for the U.S. Army as a photographer. His photographs of the inhabitants of Attu Island in 1941 represent the last and virtually the only documentation of life on the island, since the inhabitants of Attu were deported when it was occupied by Japanese forces, and they never returned. After the war Greany worked for public agencies in Alaska and later for the U.S. Forest Service in Montana. His photographs appeared in Time and National Geographic. Greany was a friend of Ansel Adams, with whom he collaborated. (From Wikipedia Commons).

Mother and her Children, colorized from a photo by Ftiz Guerin ca 1890s

Fitz W. Guerin (1846-1903) a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the American Civil War, moved to St. Louis after the war and started learning photography as an assistant to a number of noted pioneer photographers of the time. In 1876 he opened his own studio and in 1878 he won an award at the 1878 World Fair in Paris and served  several times as the president of the National Photographic Society   Here is his Mother and Children I colorized from an undated photo.  Given his death in 1903, it could have been taken anywhere between 1876 and 1900.

Young Ava Gardner, colorized from a late 1940s photo

Ava Gardner, colorized from a 1954 studio photo.

Young Ava Gardner, colorized from a late 1940s studio portrait

Dorothea Lange, Group photo of farmers, 1939

Colorized group photo of farmers in West Carlton, Yamhill County, Oregon.  Colorized by Alex Y. Lim from a 1939 photo by Dorothy Lange, well known for her photos on depression America.  These farmers bought machinery from a cooperative in their country.

Horse and stuntman in the 1960 film "The Misfits"

Colorized an off-scene taming of a horse used in the 1960 film "The Misfits" starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.  The stuntman was  Ernst Haas trying to control a mustang on the set.  Used some creative liberties in the cloud formation on the background.

Two elephants on a journey

Colorized my first set of wild animals of Africa with this undated vintage photo of two elephants taking a journey against a summer sky  Photographer is a certain Mike Hayworth, downloaded as a public domain wallpaper.

Young lady on the rail bridge, undated

Colorized photo of a young lady on the rail bridge, possibly resting after taking some pictures.  She appears to be holding a camera.

Abandoned Riverboat, undated

Colorized a photo of an abandoned riverboat marooned on the riverside. 

Cottonwood tree branches in winter against a sunset sky, undated from online sources.

Experimenting with  Photoshop blending options with Tree branches in winter time against a colorized sky background.Even if the Photoshop version I use is already quite old (version 7 of the late 1990s), it does have some features I can use to simplify colorization

- the blending options.  Without this, I would have to colorize each and every space between the twics and branches of this cottonwood tree in winter.

Ansel Adams, Clearing Storm at Yosemite Valley, CA, 1944

Colorized 1944 photo of  Yosemite Valley, California, under a clearing winter storm by Ansel Adams.

Ansel Adams, Canyon de Chelly, AZ, 1937

My first colorized photo of Ansel Adams. Quite simple and easy.  I just used 5 photoshop layers - 3 shades of tangerine or orange, and 2 shades of green for the Canon de Chelly in AZ, 1937.

Ansel Adams, portrait of fellow photographer Edward Weston at Carmel Highlands, 1945

Colorized an Ansel Adams photo of his friend and fwllo photographer Edwrd Weston taken at Carmel Highlands, CA in 1945.  Not sure what the tree trunk behind is, could a Sequoia or a redwood.

Ansel Adams, Mirror lake, Mount Watkins, Yosemite National Park, 1937

Couldn't help colorized these highly detailed nature photography from a well known American b&w photgrapher Ansel Adams.  My interest is to restore the image as how Ansel Adams might have seen with his eyes before clicking his camera.

Filipino food sellers, ca 1900 by J. Tewell

Stumbled on a rather rare vintage photo of Filipino food sellers near Santa Cruz Church, Manila, Philippines. colorized from an early 1900 photo by J. Tewell   Not much else in known about the photo.  Based on what appears to their dark skin from the original photo, they are local provinsials who could part of the Negritos or possibly from the darker complexioned people of Zambalez or other northern parts of the Luzon island of the Philippines.

Merced River and Forest, Yosemite Valley, CA

Diversifying to other photo subjects . This time nature. Here's my colorized photo of a section of the Merced River and Forest in the Yosemite Valley by John Sexton who worked with Ansel Adams from 1979 to 1984 (when Adams died), both as a technical assistant and apprentice. He was able to carry on the legacy of Adams, mounting various photography exhibits, and managed the works of his mentor after his death.

Migrant Mother in California, by Dorothea Lange

Colorized photo of a migrant mother, 32-year old Florence Thompson, with three of her 7 kids, in California's Pea-Picker’s Camp This photo has become iconic in depicting struggling families in the Great Depression of America, 1930s, humanizing the tragic consequences of the economic disaster and came to represent the era.  Interesting to note that Lange did not even ask Florence her name. Her identity was unknown for over 40 years. The photo was published days after being taken and resulted in 20,000 lbs. of food aid to the region. But Florence and family had moved on and received no benefit.  She bitterly resented the picture. Years later she died of Cancer but did benefit from some public support.

Lange did not make money from the photo but she did become well known and successful successful. She brought attention to an important cause and made a huge impact on documentary photography as among the pioneers in photojournalism.

Photojournalist Dorothea Lange, 1936

Photojournalist Dorothea Lange, known for her works during the depressions years in America, atop an automobile (model not named) in California, taken by photographer companion Paul S. Taylor, 1936.Her photographs bring the subjects alive while transmitting an emotional, even raw, vitality that captured the human condition.

Conestoga wagon on the Oregon Trail

Alternate wagon used in the re-enactment on the same trail. Cropped and colorized from here. Photo was used in book, Conestoga Wagons in Braddock's Campaign, 1775 by Don H. Berkebile, 2010