Babel Colour feed
Stuart Humphryes, known as BabelColour since 2006. I clean, enhance & transform early colour photography.
London, England
ko-fi.com/babelcolour
This is an automatic feed of the X account. If you own it and want this Bluesky account, just reach out.
- I have cleaned-up this fascinating autochrome of James Thin (famous for his chain of bookshops), who was born 202 years ago (in Edinburgh on 23rd March 1824), making him (so far as is currently known) the earliest-born person ever to have been photographed in colour. He is seen here in the garden...
- And here are the same two children running away from the toy shop. Their hands may be empty but their imaginations are overflowing!
- Reading the newspaper over 120 years ago, this early colour photo was taken by the German scientist, photographer, lens designer and photochemist Adolf Miethe using a camera of his own design. It employed a three colour-filter method pre-dating the autochrome process. It is original colour, not c...
- If any of my followers have a subscription to... EDIT: Many thanks to the kindness of @TimTakeMFT for helping me out by finding the newspaper clipping. I am *very* much obliged to you!
- 1915 - a wounded soldier carries a Christmas Tree home to his family in Chelsea, London. I've cleaned-up this wonderfully poignant photograph captured 110 years ago. Merry Christmas to all. 🎄
- Wishing all my followers a really wonderful New Year. Thank you all for your kindness & engagement throughout 2025 - you made this site a real pleasure! And I hope you'll continue to enjoy all the photo work through 2026 too ♥️
- To start 2026 off with some positivity, I thought I would give something back to my followers. You were so kind & supportive last year, I thought I'd extend my previous offer to revamp portraits of your ancestors using the ai tools I demonstrated on December 13th. If you would like to post a port...
- Photographed in colour 114 years ago, I've spruced-up this autochrome plate of a Christmas Tree in 1911, decorated with all the flags of the world (some of which, you may notice, no longer exist) It is original colour, not colourised.
- Followers often say they don't see my posts any more. Did you know there are 2 tabs at the top of your X Home Page: if you've highlighted "For You" then the algorithms decide what you see based on what it thinks you like, but if you click "Following" you'll see posts from people you actually foll...
- Photographed in colour 114 years ago, I transport you back to the golden glow of October 1912. I've enhanced for you this beautiful autochrome of 12-year-old Audrey Green (1900-1991), taken by amateaur photographer Stephen Pegler in his Nottinghamshire hometown of Retford. The…
- A little closer to home today, with a photo which is only 65 years old, but it is also - perhaps - a little closer to our hearts too: The magic of playthings in the hearts of little children. This is Henley, in Oxfordshire, England, in 1960. Original colour.
- An Edardian Christmas in colour. I have cleaned-up this charming autochrome plate of three children showing off their Christmas toys about 115 year ago. It is original colour (not colourised)
- I've not been able to post much the last couple of weeks, so my apologies. Here is an enhancement of a First World War autochrome by Fernand Cuville, showing a sergeant of the 17th Indochinese Tirailleurs Regiment stationed at Soissons, in Aisne, France, 109 years ago. It is original colour from...
- Photographed in colour 112 years ago, I've cleaned-up this remarkable autochrome of Henri Lumiere, which was taken during the Great War by his father Auguste. It is such a casual, contemporary-looking photo I think it helps challenge our preconceptions of history. It was taken in…
- I've cleaned-up for you an autochrome of Malaga’s "cemetery" for derelicts of the sea in Spain in March 1929, photographed in colour by Jules Gervais Courtellemont for the National Geographic. It is original colour from 97 years ago, not colourised.
- People have asked me about bokeh, as it's not a particularly common word. So for those not familiar with it, I thought this may help. (In the case of the autochrome I posted, it's the burry circles of light formed around the tree's fairy-lights)
- Christmas 100 years ago. This evocative scene, with very atmospheric bokeh around the christmas lights, was taken in Rochester, New York, in 1925 by the furniture salesman and prolific autochrome enthusiast Charles Zoller (1854-1934), who would later bequeath almost 4000 autochromes to the Intern...
- Something completely different for you - actor Robert De Niro in 1950. Cleaned & colourised by yours truly. It's hard to believe it was taken 76 years ago!
- If you've enjoyed my BabelColour account in 2025, you may like to know I have a ko-fi page where followers can leave tips for artists they enjoy. This isn't my job, just a hobby on X, so all Christmas tips really help support what I do here. ♥️ LINK: ko-fi.com/babelcolour
- Christmas 100 years ago. This evocative scene, with very atmospheric bokeh around the christmas lights, was taken in Rochester, New York, in 1925 by the furniture salesman and prolific autochrome enthusiast Charles Zoller (1854-1934), who would later bequeath almost 4000 autochromes to the Intern...
- I have cleaned-up this fascinating autochrome of James Thin (famous for his chain of bookshops), who was born 202 years ago (in Edinburgh on 23rd March 1824), making him (so far as is currently known) the earliest-born person ever to have been photographed in colour. He is seen here in the garden...
- A little closer to home today, with a photo which is only 65 years old, but it is also - perhaps - a little closer to our hearts too: The magic of playthings in the hearts of little children. This is Henley, in Oxfordshire, England, in 1960. Original colour.
- An Edardian Christmas in colour. I have cleaned-up this charming autochrome plate of three children showing off their Christmas toys about 115 year ago. It is original colour (not colourised)
- If any of my followers have a subscription to... EDIT: Many thanks to the kindness of @TimTakeMFT for helping me out by finding the newspaper clipping. I am *very* much obliged to you!
- I've not been able to post much the last couple of weeks, so my apologies. Here is an enhancement of a First World War autochrome by Fernand Cuville, showing a sergeant of the 17th Indochinese Tirailleurs Regiment stationed at Soissons, in Aisne, France, 109 years ago. It is original colour from...
- To start 2026 off with some positivity, I thought I would give something back to my followers. You were so kind & supportive last year, I thought I'd extend my previous offer to revamp portraits of your ancestors using the ai tools I demonstrated on December 13th. If you would like to post a port...
- Reading the newspaper over 120 years ago, this early colour photo was taken by the German scientist, photographer, lens designer and photochemist Adolf Miethe using a camera of his own design. It employed a three colour-filter method pre-dating the autochrome process. It is original colour, not c...
- I've cleaned-up for you an autochrome of Malaga’s "cemetery" for derelicts of the sea in Spain in March 1929, photographed in colour by Jules Gervais Courtellemont for the National Geographic. It is original colour from 97 years ago, not colourised.
- Something completely different for you - actor Robert De Niro in 1950. Cleaned & colourised by yours truly. It's hard to believe it was taken 76 years ago!
- And here are the same two children running away from the toy shop. Their hands may be empty but their imaginations are overflowing!
- People have asked me about bokeh, as it's not a particularly common word. So for those not familiar with it, I thought this may help. (In the case of the autochrome I posted, it's the burry circles of light formed around the tree's fairy-lights)
- Photographed in colour 112 years ago, I've cleaned-up this remarkable autochrome of Henri Lumiere, which was taken during the Great War by his father Auguste. It is such a casual, contemporary-looking photo I think it helps challenge our preconceptions of history. It was taken in…
- Followers often say they don't see my posts any more. Did you know there are 2 tabs at the top of your X Home Page: if you've highlighted "For You" then the algorithms decide what you see based on what it thinks you like, but if you click "Following" you'll see posts from people you actually foll...
- Photographed in colour 114 years ago, I transport you back to the golden glow of October 1912. I've enhanced for you this beautiful autochrome of 12-year-old Audrey Green (1900-1991), taken by amateaur photographer Stephen Pegler in his Nottinghamshire hometown of Retford. The…
- Wishing all my followers a really wonderful New Year. Thank you all for your kindness & engagement throughout 2025 - you made this site a real pleasure! And I hope you'll continue to enjoy all the photo work through 2026 too ♥️
- If you've enjoyed my BabelColour account in 2025, you may like to know I have a ko-fi page where followers can leave tips for artists they enjoy. This isn't my job, just a hobby on X, so all Christmas tips really help support what I do here. ♥️ LINK: ko-fi.com/babelcolour
- Photographed in colour 114 years ago, I transport you back to the golden glow of October 1912. I've enhanced for you this beautiful autochrome of 12-year-old Audrey Green (1900-1991), taken by amateaur photographer Stephen Pegler in his Nottinghamshire hometown of Retford. The composition is espe...
- If any of my followers have a subscription to... EDIT: Many thanks to the kindness of @TimTakeMFT for helping me out by finding the newspaper clipping. I am *very* much obliged to you!
- Photographed in colour 112 years ago, I've cleaned-up this remarkable autochrome of Henri Lumiere, which was taken during the Great War by his father Auguste. It is such a casual, contemporary-looking photo I think it helps challenge our preconceptions of history. It was taken in colour in 1914 a...
- Something completely different for you - actor Robert De Niro in 1950. Cleaned & colourised by yours truly. It's hard to believe it was taken 76 years ago!
- I've cleaned-up for you an autochrome of Malaga’s "cemetery" for derelicts of the sea in Spain in March 1929, photographed in colour by Jules Gervais Courtellemont for the National Geographic. It is original colour from 97 years ago, not colourised.
- I have cleaned-up this fascinating autochrome of James Thin (famous for his chain of bookshops), who was born 202 years ago (in Edinburgh on 23rd March 1824), making him (so far as is currently known) the earliest-born person ever to have been photographed in colour. He is seen here in the garden...
- I've not been able to post much the last couple of weeks, so my apologies. Here is an enhancement of a First World War autochrome by Fernand Cuville, showing a sergeant of the 17th Indochinese Tirailleurs Regiment stationed at Soissons, in Aisne, France, 109 years ago. It is original colour from...
- 1915 - a wounded soldier carries a Christmas Tree home to his family in Chelsea, London. I've cleaned-up this wonderfully poignant photograph captured 110 years ago. Merry Christmas to all. 🎄
- To start 2026 off with some positivity, I thought I would give something back to my followers. You were so kind & supportive last year, I thought I'd extend my previous offer to revamp portraits of your ancestors using the ai tools I demonstrated on December 13th. If you would like to post a port...
- Christmas 100 years ago. This evocative scene, with very atmospheric bokeh around the christmas lights, was taken in Rochester, New York, in 1925 by the furniture salesman and prolific autochrome enthusiast Charles Zoller (1854-1934), who would later bequeath almost 4000 autochromes to the Intern...
- Wishing all my followers a really wonderful New Year. Thank you all for your kindness & engagement throughout 2025 - you made this site a real pleasure! And I hope you'll continue to enjoy all the photo work through 2026 too ♥️
- People have asked me about bokeh, as it's not a particularly common word. So for those not familiar with it, I thought this may help. (In the case of the autochrome I posted, it's the burry circles of light formed around the tree's fairy-lights)
- Photographed in colour 114 years ago, I've spruced-up this autochrome plate of a Christmas Tree in 1911, decorated with all the flags of the world (some of which, you may notice, no longer exist) It is original colour, not colourised.
- Followers often say they don't see my posts any more. Did you know there are 2 tabs at the top of your X Home Page: if you've highlighted "For You" then the algorithms decide what you see based on what it thinks you like, but if you click "Following" you'll see posts from people you actually foll...
