08-OCT: Coronavirus update

We are still trading but have made changes to how we operate. In-person drop-offs are still suspended and there's a slight delay on returning photos. Please see our COVID-19 page for details.

Repairing scratches, tears and creases

This is the most common type of damage to photos, mainly from handling over the years. Images get folded, torn and scratched. Our restoration service can digitally repair all those crease marks, tears and scratches.

Pricing depends on the amount of damage, how detailed the image is and also the size of the original or amount of enlargement. A crease over a simple section of sky is a breeze compared to a tear through several faces on a group photo.

Damaged vintage 1930’s studio portrait

1930s repaired studio photo

1930s creased studio

A typical type of photo we get that’s yellowed with age and has crease damage along with missing corners. This comes under our Advanced level restoration given the uneven fading and crease over one of the faces.

Dog-eared old school photo is digitally repaired

creased school photo

This old school photograph had become a bit dog-eared and creased. Not a problem, the damage and dirt was digitally repaired and new 10×8 prints issued.

mended school photo

Lost corner of a damaged picture is digitally rebuilt

missing bits restored

photo with corner gone

One of our main techniques involves painting with photos whereby we sample the good parts of a picture to rebuild the lost or damaged areas. As you can see here we’ve used the wooden boards from the right side in making a new corner on the left.

Portrait photo with an eye missing

portrait with eye missing

A tricky photo to repair as one of the eyes is missing. We were able to use the “good” eye to recreate this missing piece along with repairing the other damage to the photo.

eye recreated

Dirt and old sellotape stains removed

dirt removed

dirty old photograph

An age weary photo with dirt and spots along with staining from Sellotape that had been used to “fix” the large crease. We fixed it properly in the computer.