My name is Jeff Lowe - For more than 20 years, I have restored and recovered images for clients all over the world. I'm also a web designer, graphic artist and theatrical set designer living in the Bay Area of Northern California.

Photoshop CS5.5 is my primary software. I don't use it to "optimize" images, but instead use its advanced tools to manually restore vintage, badly faded, damaged and torn images - The results are dramatically different from a 1 click auto-adjust, and it takes some dedication, education, and an eye for the image to acheive great results.

After adjusting an image with the Curves, Levels and Channels Functions (utilizing their eyedropper functions to choose the appropriate black, mid-tone and white levels for each image), I then use the cloning tool (rubber stamp) to carefully and tediously remove dust and scratches from each image. I never use the "Dust and Scratches" filter, as it will destroy the image.

I use the "Unsharp Masking" tool very, very sparingly and NEVER do a straight -up "Sharpen" on any image. Only by this painstaking process can you be assured that the integrity of the original image is preserved...

Basically - You could say I'm probably about the most picky, detail-oriented restoration artis you'll ever find - I really love what I do.

I also own a theatrical production company. Please visit Bay Area Stage Productions the website: www.bayareastage.org for the latest news about the Arts in the North Bay Area.