Restoration

Digital restoration, not repair of the original

It is worth being clear about what happens to your photograph, because it is the thing people most often worry about when they hand one over. We do not treat, chemically clean or physically mend the original. We scan it, restore the digital copy, and give you back files and prints. Your original goes home in the same condition it arrived in - which is usually the right outcome, because the original is the irreplaceable part and every physical intervention carries risk.

That means you can display a flawless reproduction, hang it somewhere with light on it, post copies to family across the country, and still keep the original safe in a box.

Restored by hand

Every photo is restored by hand, one at a time, by our team of skilled digital artists. Faded, torn and damaged images are repaired by rebuilding the detail piece by piece. This is deliberate: a one-click filter can make a damaged photo look processed, but it cannot decide what a missing corner of someone's face should have looked like. That judgement is the job.

What we can put right

• Photo restoration - creases and tears, water damage, stains and scratches, faded images, missing areas, and background replacement.
• Photo retouching - blemish removal, colour adjustments and red-eye correction, for old and new photos alike.
• Colourisation - black-and-white, faded and discoloured photographs digitally coloured into lifelike representations of the original.
• Document restoration - certificates, university testamurs, deeds, share certificates, newspaper articles and other paper records.
• Poster and map restoration - historical, tourism, movie, vintage and real estate posters, and maps on paper.

What a project includes

Our standardised pricing for the more common restoration projects includes scanning if required, safe storage of your original objects while they are in our care, the digital restoration itself, and digital delivery of your restored photos. Work is quoted per project after we assess the original and the extent of the damage, because a faded portrait and a photograph torn through the middle are not the same job. Restoration is priced in bands by the time it takes, from Basic through to Extreme for images needing three hours or more, plus a project admin and client proofing fee.

Turnaround

Restoration, retouching and colourisation generally run 1-3 weeks depending on the work involved - photo restoration typically takes around 10 working days. See turnaround times for the current guide; we confirm a firm completion date when your quote is approved.

Who we work with

Families rescuing photographs that exist in exactly one copy, people restoring certificates and documents, and collectors of posters and maps. We are based in Canberra and, on occasion, trusted by customers around the world.