Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/buy-genealogy-photo-viewing-copies/ # Buy Genealogy Photo Viewing Copies Without Replacing Evidence Purchase genealogy viewing derivatives while keeping sources as evidence. Define protected inscriptions and label generated detail honestly. Family photo projects4 min readUpdated 11 October 2026 ## Try it on your own photo Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original. [Restore my photo]()1 credit per successful photo ยท Account required[See credit packs]() Quick answer ## The short version Use paid restoration for clearly labelled viewing derivatives when they help family engagement. Keep unedited front, back and context files as the evidence. A generated sharper face, letter or uniform detail cannot establish an identification, date or relationship that the source does not show. ## Define this purchase decision Family historians may want an inviting portrait for a family tree while also needing a defensible research record. Those are compatible goals when the versions stay separate. Buy a viewing-copy project for selected photos; do not buy reconstruction expecting it to resolve an uncertain name, date or regiment. The key commercial question is whether the desired change serves presentation or claims to create evidence. Scratch reduction and clearer viewing can be worth trialling. Inferring a badge from a blurred region is not a reliable identification method. Keep the restoration's purpose written beside the selected source list. ## Worked decision example Worked example: a researcher holds twenty ancestor portraits and selects eight for a private family-history booklet. Two have unknown identities, three carry legible back inscriptions and all have capture masters. The paid scope is eight viewing derivatives. The originals and inscription captures remain the reference files regardless of which outputs are accepted. Suppose a result makes a blurred shoulder badge look legible. The researcher records it as generated detail and excludes it from the identification argument. One accepted derivative can illustrate the booklet while the source image is cited for the actual historical claim. These roles do not require two identical restoration attempts, and no research accuracy rate is asserted. ## Complete the decision worksheet - Purpose field: explain why a viewing copy is useful and which defects you want reduced. Avoid a brief asking the AI to reveal an unknown identity. - Evidence field: list source owner, source ID, front/back captures and any independently supported date or name. Keep uncertain identifications explicit. - Acceptance field: protect inscriptions, visible badges, faces and contextual objects. If generated detail appears, label or reject it rather than citing it as discovery. - Delivery field: save the untouched source and approved derivative under linked IDs. Include the edit date and whether interpreted colour was added. ## Resolve the buyer objections Does a more recognisable face help identify the person? It may prompt a family discussion, but it is not independent evidence. Check any proposed identification against the unedited source, reliable records and relatives' testimony. A generated resemblance cannot establish a relationship by itself. Should I restore the handwriting on the back? Preserve a clear capture and use a cautious transcription workflow. Generative text can become confidently wrong. If historical lettering is essential, ask for a controlled manual approach or leave it unaltered instead of buying repeated speculative repairs. ## Keep a useful decision record Write separate descriptions for the evidentiary and presentation versions. The source description might say unidentified group outside a shop, date uncertain. The viewing note might say scratch-reduced derivative, edited on the recorded date, no identity established. Do not replace uncertainty with a confident caption because the generated file looks clearer. If a relative proposes a name after seeing the derivative, record who supplied that recollection and check it against the source rather than citing AI output. This approach keeps the purchase useful for engagement while preventing it from contaminating the research chain. A visually attractive version can be retained without promoting its newly generated details into historical facts. Keep the completion note with the source IDs so a later relative can understand the approved scope without repeating the purchase. ## Choose the next action Trial a selected portrait whose viewing purpose is clear, with optional colourisation off unless explicitly requested. Review the downloaded file and decide whether it helps presentation while leaving the evidence record intact. Purchase for the remaining selected viewing copies only after that boundary is accepted. Share the approved derivative with a change note and a link or reference to the original record as appropriate. Keep rejected experiments out of the research folder. A successful viewing project can make the family story easier to explore without claiming that paid restoration has discovered new historical facts. ## FAQs Can I cite generated lettering as historical proof? No. Refer to the unedited source and independent evidence. Generated readable-looking text may be incorrect. Can I use a restored portrait in a family booklet? Yes, when sharing permissions fit and the derivative is clearly labelled. Retain the original as the evidence file. Does colourisation establish a uniform colour? No. Unsupported colour choices remain interpretation, even when plausible. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - RestoreBunny: [Current credit-pack pricing]() - RestoreBunny: [Credits, outputs and privacy FAQ]() - RestoreBunny: [Credit purchase and technical issue policy]() - RestoreBunny: [Image processing and retention policy]() - U.S. National Archives: [Digitising family papers and photographs safely]() ## Related - [Preserve Handwriting, Dates and Signs During Photo Restoration]() - [How to Date Old Family Photos Without Turning Guesses into Facts]() - [Review supported photo restoration]() - [Start an eligible restoration trial]() - [Check current credit-pack terms]() - [Use the family archive handoff worksheets]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. 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