Photo Restoration
The skills and expertise that we employ in our core work also allow us to digitally repair and reconstruct photos that may have been damaged by age or other unfortunate accidents.
Photo restoration services abound today, many run by those who have learnt repair tricks in Photoshop® or similar software. These services can produce satisfactory results when minor damage exists in background areas of the image, however, when damage exists on the main subject, someone who is artistically skilled will make the repairs look natural and indistinguishable from the surrounding original content. Our 'in-house' photo restorer is a technically accredited professional artist who uses his painting talent and digital skills to bring your cherished photos back to the way they were the day they were first developed.
Blemishes on photos such as cracking, tears, dust spots and discolourations can usually be successfully repaired, bringing the photo back to "as new" condition, and as it is a digital process the original is not altered in any way.
Sepia and black and white photos can also be converted into full colour, again without affecting the original.
DAMAGED IMAGE
RESTORED IMAGE
We can produce restored photos from the following sources
Original prints (size limits apply)
35mm negative film strips
35mm slides (positives)
If your image has some or all of the problems below, we can fix it
Scratches - Sometimes large, sometimes small, sometimes a few, sometimes a lot in one place or all over the picture
Creases - Large and small; dog ears and folds
Rips and Tears – Even if your photo is in pieces, in most cases, it can be put back together again (of course providing no major pieces are missing)
Spots and Stains - Watermarks, coffee splashes, mould, fungus, etc.
Pen and Crayon Marks – Caused by little fingers and budding artists!
Fading - Left the picture on a sunny windowsill too long? Yellowed with age? Colours washed out or dull? Black and White or Colour, we can bring back the lost contrast
Sticky Tape Joins - The tape goes yellow and brittle and looks terrible
Colour to Black and White or Sepia – Get a new look with an old look!
Black & White to Colour - We can colourise all or part of your picture
Bad Composition - We can crop and if necessary slightly rotate your photos to enhance the subjects
Unwanted Elements - We can remove unwanted people or objects from your pictures. You will never know they were there
Options
In addition to restoring a photograph, you have many options when it comes to printing it and giving it a particular look and feel:
Increase its Size – many old photographs were very small originals - why not make it easier to see with an enlargement?
Decrease its Size – Don't want a poster when a picture will do? Why not make it smaller?
Paper Type – Full Gloss, Semi Gloss or Matt? Different paper will add different character to your picture
With Every Restoration
With every restoration, we want to make sure that your memories are preserved for a long time to come. As part of our standard service you will receive the following:
Premium quality print on photographic paper
Restored image provided as a jpg file in photo quality format - make as many duplicates as you like!
Restored image provided as a jpg file in a email optimised format - share your memories with friends and family instantly
Original image provided as a jpg file in high quality format
Photo Restoration Examples
Example 1
The original 60-year-old photo suffered from streaks and blemishes in the print emulsion. Restoration removed defects and colourisation provided freshness to the image beyond the client's expectations.
Colour details were provided by the client from memory
Example 2
Original photo was badly damaged by rough treatment by children many years ago. Defects included a major tear and pen and biro scribbles across photo. The contrast in the original was also quite flat. Restoration removed all defects and lifted the contrast levels. The client could not believe the results that were obtained.
Example 3
Original 100 year old photo suffered from serious fading, stains and chips in the print emulsion. Restoration removed defects and colour grading restored contrast with a subtle sepia wash.
Photo Restoration Pricing Guide
How much will it cost?
This question is impossible without viewing the image, as each restoration job is unique. For estimation purposes only, we provide the following guide, but once we see the image, we can give you a firm quote before beginning any work.
Photo Enhancement – Original up to A4: starting at $60
Optimise brightness and contrast
Remove ‘red-eye’ if necessary
Remove colour casts (orange/yellow look) if necessary
Crop and resize if required, up to A4
Restored image reproduced on quality photo paper
Original image and restored image provided as jpg files in high quality and email friendly formats
Minor Restoration – Original up to A4: starting at $85
All ‘Photo Enhancement’ features, plus
Repair of minor surface defects, including cracks, tears, blemishes, stains, colour problems and spots
Damage in non-critical subject areas (eg, background)
Medium Restoration – Original up to A4: starting at $130
All ‘Photo Enhancement’ features, plus
Repair of moderate surface defects, including cracks, tears, blemishes, stains, colour problems and spots
Limited damage in critical subject areas (eg people)
Major Restoration – Original up to A4: price after assessment of image
All ‘Photo Enhancement’ features, plus
Repair of extensive surface defects, including cracks, tears, blemishes, stains, colour problems and spots
Problems present in critical subject areas as well as general areas
Removal of unwanted elements (eg, people, objects)
Colourise ‘black and white’ image