RIFTAdd a scratched or fading photo, ask Spark to restore it, and when you like it, turn it into a gentle video. Seeing a grandparent or a first car move for the first time is the part people remember.
What you need
- An iPhone with Rift.
- The old photo as a print or a scan.
- Thirty minutes with someone who knows who is in it, if you can.
Step by step
- Capture it well. Put the print on a flat table by a window. Shoot straight on and fill the frame. Turn off flash.
- Add it to Spark. Choose the photo from your camera roll and say you want it restored.
- Restore first. Spark cleans scratches, folds and fading. Check the faces look like the people you know.
- Add colour, if you like. Ask Spark to colourise it. Name anything you know: the blue dress, the red car.
- Turn into a video. Tap Turn into a video, say what should move, check the Draft and tap Make. The price shows on the button first.
- Save and share. It lands in Library, ready to send or post.
Lines to try with Spark
- “Restore this photo, keep it black and white.”
- “Restore and colourise. My grandmother’s dress was green.”
- “Turn into a video: a slow smile and a gentle breeze in the trees.”
- “Restore this photo of my dad’s first motorbike, then bring it to life.”
- “Make my grandparents’ wedding photo move, very softly.”
Tips
- Don’t over-ask the movement. A small change reads as a memory coming alive. A big action looks odd on a face from the past.
- Fix the scan before the app. Dust and glare on the glass are easier to avoid than to remove.
- Say what you know about the colours. Your memory beats a guess. Tell Spark the hair colour, the uniform or the car.
- Save the original. Keep the first scan in a folder of its own, and the restored copy next to it.
- Watch it together. Play it on a family call. People will tell you stories you never knew.
Beyond family photos
The same steps suit a faded postcard, an old pet photo, a shop front from decades ago or a car from a family album. Restore it, add colour, give it a little life.