Culcheth photographer releases Apollo Remastered bestseller book

While his dream of venturing into orbit may remain on his bucket list, he has been able to tick off meeting some of his NASA heroes.

The Culcheth-based photographer has received worldwide recognition over recent years for his work to restore low-quality photos taken by astronauts themselves in space.

This labour of love has now seen him collate his restorations into a new book entitled Apollo Remastered – a book which has been a massive hit.

And he's showing an exhibition of his work in Cheshire between December and April - at Jodrell Bank.

“I had no idea what I would do with all remastered photographs – perhaps host an online archive or something,” he said.

“I have always offered them to museums, news outlets and posted them on social media, and continue to do so as I want to share them with as many people as possible.

“It was the level of reaction to them and suggestions by others that made me realise a book would be a great idea.

Earth taken from the surface of the Moon. Picture: NASA/JSU/ASU/Andy Saunders

“I always post information along with each image online to help put them into context, as well as enjoying the beauty and interest of them, and I realised that a book would allow me to do that too.

“I figured it could work really well to tell the story of each Apollo mission and the whole programme via the wonderful imagery.”

Such was its popularity, the book quickly became a Sunday Times Bestseller and became the biggest selling non-fiction book on Amazon.

It features more than 400 of the highest quality Apollo photographs ever published, accompanied by an explanatory caption and quotes from the astronauts at the moment they were taken.

Never-before-seen detail and input from those who made the incredible voyages make the book the ‘ultimate photographic record of humankind’s greatest adventure’.

“The book looks amazing, and the physical product came out better than I could ever have hoped for,” Andy continued.

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon. Picture: NASA/JSU/ASU/Andy Saunders

“Having spent 10,000 hours on just the image processing, let alone the research, I am so familiar with each page.

“It is hard for me to simply step back and appreciate the whole book for what it is, but I am sure one day that will come.

“I have been really lucky with just how well the book has done.

“It is quite a specialist book and is not cheap, but it seems to resonate with so many people, and then those people pass on the word or show it to friends, and it is the kind of book you really need to see and hold in your hands to appreciate.

“To see it become the biggest selling non-fiction book on Amazon was pretty startling, and then a Sunday Times Bestseller was just unreal.

“If you would have told me this would happen when I was editing away on these old photos at 2am on some rainy Tuesday in my home office a couple of years ago, I would have said you were nuts.”

The photos have been restored to show minute details. Picture: NASA/JSU/ASU/Andy Saunders

One of the most pleasing aspects for Andy has been the support he has been given by NASA, with the book celebrating its past, as well as getting people excited about the return to the Moon on Artemis.

It also allowed him to meet Jim McDivitt, commander of Apollo Nine, who is featured on the cover and sadly passed away very recently at the age 93.

“I have a particular affinity to him and was in touch with him a little during research for the book, and his family were thrilled about the whole thing,” Andy added.

“We managed to rush an advance copy to him only a few weeks ago and it was wonderful to learn how much he loved it, that it brought back lots of memories and how handsome he thought he looked on the cover. That meant more to me than any number of book sales.

“I was lucky enough to have several of the Apollo astronauts help with some of the research, with image selection and with ensuring the photographs were an accurate record, and that they represent what they actually witnessed, so that has been amazing.

The photos have been restored to show minute details. Picture: NASA/JSU/ASU/Andy Saunders

“Rusty Schweickart, who took the cover shot for example, was very generous with his time and was amazed by that particular restoration.

“Those moments alone make the whole project worthwhile, but Charlie Duke, who walked on the Moon on Apollo 16, has perhaps provided the most appropriate feedback.

“He said that my remastered images are so clear and real that they are the next best thing to being there.”

Apollo Remastered is on sale now from Amazon, as well as all good book stores.

An exhibition of photographs from the book is also being held at Glasgow Science Centre until April 2023, with a concurrent exhibition in Dubai in February.

The main exhibition then comes to the north west at the Williamson Art Gallery in Wirral from April to September 2023.

A small taster selection will also be on display at Jodrell Bank from December 3 to April 2023, with book signings also planned.