When I first saw this lovely photo of the Katz family, I could tell how cherished it had been. It must have sat somewhere in the sun, slowly fading over the years. Even so, I loved seeing June, her brothers as adults, and their parents standing together. But the tone of the photo was so yellowed that I knew I wasn’t seeing everything it held. You had to lean in close to make out their expressions and the details of their clothing.

As a genealogist, I have mixed feelings about AI. Whether I realized it or not, some form of AI has been helping me for years—every time I ask Siri to check the weather or set a timer. Earlier this year, I had an old photo that was a copy of a copy: fuzzy, lined, and worn. It was suggested I try restoring it with AI, so I did. I was surprised at how crisp and sharp it became without changing the person in the photo. (That’s not always the case—another photo I tried came back with a completely different-looking person!) But it made me wonder: could AI help with this Katz family photo?

So I tried it. I asked the program to brighten the image, and out popped this clear version. I was in awe of how much more I could see. June is the only Katz I ever met, but seeing Audie with his arm around Hazel, sleeves rolled up as if ready for whatever the day brought, made me smile. June looks beautiful in every photo I have of her, and here the contrast of her dark top and patterned skirt makes her the focal point. Her brothers—who I think are Bill next to her, then Robert, and then Donald—seem to show more of their personalities now that the shadows are gone. And even if taking the photo might have been a chore for them, I’m so glad they did.

The date stamped on the back places the printing in the week of July 9, 1951, and the Kodachrome markings make perfect sense now that the brightness has been restored. With the yellow haze lifted, the photo feels true to its era—clear, warm, and full of life. Brightening it didn’t just improve the image; it feels like bringing clarity to the Katz family themselves. So whatever your feelings are about AI, I know one thing for sure – without it, I’d still be looking at the Katz family through a photo faded yellow with time instead of seeing them clearly in the light they deserve.