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The Colors of Life

Early Color Photography Enhanced by Stuart Humphryes

The past did not happen in black and white. Discover people and places of the early 20th century through the medium of rare, early color photography, which has now been enhanced through the use of modern technology to make the past look stunningly contemporary.

The Colors of Life transports readers through the lens of autochromes and paget plates – from the infancy of early color photographic processes – and enhances detail and definition and dynamic range to create a startlingly new way to connect to the past.

This compilation showcases over 200 photographs enhanced by Stuart Humphryes, capturing people from various backgrounds and their everyday lives, at leisure, and at work. With the use of cutting edge enhancements, these early colour photographs and their stories come to life in a way they preciously never could. The book a reminds us the the past was as real as the present and has the power to evoke personal and shared emotions that resonate across time.

The Colors of Life is a captivating journey into the past, using the technology of the present to allow readers to see and experience history in a new and vibrant light.

Editors: gestalten & Stuart Humphryes
Release date: September 2023
Format: 24 × 30 cm
Features: full color, hardcover, stitch bound, 256 pages
ISBN: 9783967041231

Stuart Humphryes is a digital artist, photo restorer, and writer, and also a content creator active on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Formerly known as a print and TV colorizer—focusing on work relating to the BBC television series Doctor Who—Humphryes has generated a new following interested in his photographic enhancement work. His work has received accolades from The Guardian, The Evening Standard, The Stage, The Metro, The Radio Times, The Mail on Sunday, BBC Online, BBC America, The National, FX Magazine, Starburst Magazine, Wild West Magazine, and many others.



FSC™️ (Forest Stewardship Council™️) Certified.

Payment and dispatch

The following terms and conditions apply:

The products are delivered all over the world.

Dispatch costs (inclusive of legally applicable VAT)

Domestic deliveries (Germany): 

Bücherbestellungen werden grundsätzlich kostenfrei versandt.

Andere Produkte, die keine Bücher sind und deren Bruttobestellwert weniger als mind. 20 € beträgt, werden mit einer 4 € Versandkostenpauschale berechnet.

From an order value of 20,00 € onwards, we deliver shipments free of cost.

Deliveries to foreign countries:

Free shipping to European Union and the USA.
Free worldwide shipping from 60 EUR/USD order value.

For orders below 60 EUR/USD the following shipping costs apply:
European Union & USA : € 0,-
All other countries: € 40,-


From an order value of 60,00 €, we deliver shipments to foreign countries free of cost.

Delivery periods

Unless otherwise specified in the quote, domestic delivery of goods shall be made (Germany) within 2 - 5 working days, for deliveries abroad within 3 - 8 weeks from conclusion of contract (if advance payment agreed from the date of the payment instruction).
Please note that deliveries are not made on Sundays and other holidays.

If you have ordered articles with different delivery dates, we send the articles together in one delivery if no other agreement has been made. The delivery date for the complete order will be the same as that of the article with the longest delivery time.

Accepted Payment options

- Payment by SEPA direct debit
-  Payment via credit card
-  Payment via Sofortüberweisung [immediate transfer]
-  Payment via Google Pay
-  Payment via Apple Pay
-  Shopify Payments, ideal, eps-Überweisung, Bancontact


Further details on payment

When paying by SEPA direct debit, you authorize us by issuing a corresponding SEPA mandate to collect the invoice amount from the specified account.
You will receive a pre-notification at least 5 days before the date of direct debit collection. Please note that you are obliged to ensure sufficient funds in the account on the announced date.


If payment is made using a credit card, your credit card account is debited in conjunction with the conclusion of the contract.


In case of questions, please contact us at the contact details mentioned in the Legal Notice.

The Colors of Life transports readers through the lens of autochromes and paget plates – from the infancy of early color photographic processes – and enhances detail and definition and dynamic range to create a startlingly new way to connect to the past.

This compilation showcases over 200 photographs enhanced by Stuart Humphryes, capturing people from various backgrounds and their everyday lives, at leisure, and at work. With the use of cutting edge enhancements, these early colour photographs and their stories come to life in a way they preciously never could. The book a reminds us the the past was as real as the present and has the power to evoke personal and shared emotions that resonate across time.

The Colors of Life is a captivating journey into the past, using the technology of the present to allow readers to see and experience history in a new and vibrant light.

Visual Culture

Editors gestalten & Stuart Humphryes
Release date: September 2023
Format: 24 × 30 cm
Features: full color, hardcover, stitch bound, 256 pages
ISBN: 9783967041231

Stuart Humphryes is a digital artist, photo restorer, and writer, and also a content creator active on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Formerly known as a print and TV colorizer—focusing on work relating to the BBC television series Doctor Who—Humphryes has generated a new following interested in his photographic enhancement work. His work has received accolades from The Guardian, The Evening Standard, The Stage, The Metro, The Radio Times, The Mail on Sunday, BBC Online, BBC America, The National, FX Magazine, Starburst Magazine, Wild West Magazine, and many others.



FSC™️ (Forest Stewardship Council™️) Certified.

Payment and dispatch

The following terms and conditions apply:

The products are delivered all over the world.

Dispatch costs (inclusive of legally applicable VAT)

Domestic deliveries (Germany): 

Bücherbestellungen werden grundsätzlich kostenfrei versandt.

Andere Produkte, die keine Bücher sind und deren Bruttobestellwert weniger als mind. 20 € beträgt, werden mit einer 4 € Versandkostenpauschale berechnet.

From an order value of 20,00 € onwards, we deliver shipments free of cost.

Deliveries to foreign countries:

Free shipping to European Union and the USA.
Free worldwide shipping from 60 EUR/USD order value.

For orders below 60 EUR/USD the following shipping costs apply:
European Union & USA : € 0,-
All other countries: € 40,-


From an order value of 60,00 €, we deliver shipments to foreign countries free of cost.

Delivery periods

Unless otherwise specified in the quote, domestic delivery of goods shall be made (Germany) within 2 - 5 working days, for deliveries abroad within 3 - 8 weeks from conclusion of contract (if advance payment agreed from the date of the payment instruction).
Please note that deliveries are not made on Sundays and other holidays.

If you have ordered articles with different delivery dates, we send the articles together in one delivery if no other agreement has been made. The delivery date for the complete order will be the same as that of the article with the longest delivery time.

Accepted Payment options

- Payment by SEPA direct debit
-  Payment via credit card
-  Payment via Sofortüberweisung [immediate transfer]
-  Payment via Google Pay
-  Payment via Apple Pay
-  Shopify Payments, ideal, eps-Überweisung, Bancontact


Further details on payment

When paying by SEPA direct debit, you authorize us by issuing a corresponding SEPA mandate to collect the invoice amount from the specified account.
You will receive a pre-notification at least 5 days before the date of direct debit collection. Please note that you are obliged to ensure sufficient funds in the account on the announced date.


If payment is made using a credit card, your credit card account is debited in conjunction with the conclusion of the contract.


In case of questions, please contact us at the contact details mentioned in the Legal Notice.

What People Say

"There is a striking sense of clarity to these photos, an enhanced realism, and the majority of them look as though they were shot only yesterday."

The Guardian

"‘Enhancement’ gives a new perspective on photographs from the early 20th century."

The Times
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