If you have a treasured family photo laying around that you thought would never be the same again - don't give up on it. We can work wonders on an old photograph to make it look as good - and often even better - than it originally did.
Old photographs come to us in all kinds of conditions and states of deterioration or disrepair. Restoring these photos requires a combination of an artistic eye and technology to maintain the integrity of the original subject while correcting the problems of an aged or damaged photograph.
We take great pride in transforming a vintage photograph from
"before" to "after". We believe in treating it
as if it were our very own.
Below
is one example of a photograph thought to be beyond
repair.
Before:
This photograph of the Chichizola Store in Amador City, California
was taken in the late 1880's. The subjects can barely be discerned
in this image.
After:
With careful control of exposure corrections, grain clean up,
cropping, some image reconstruction and more, here is the final result.
This is just one example of what we can do for your vintage
photograph. We can work from either the print or the negative.
(Scroll to the bottom of the page for another example.)
Our services can be as straightforward as cropping, exposure &
lighting
corrections or removing unwanted elements, such as scratches. Or, it
can involve a great deal of repair and image reconstruction, as in
the example above
Either way, if you have a valued photograph that you would like to
bring back to life, we can work with you to achieve the desired
results at a cost less than you might expect. And your satisfaction
with the final result is guaranteed.
"How do I get the photo or negative
to you ?"
There are several ways to do this.
1.) Local pick up
We can arrange to pick up the photo from you in the Jackson, Sutter
Creek, Pine Grove area.
Email us for more info.
2.) Mail
You can UPS it or USPS the photo or negative to our studio.
Click here to email us for our mailing address.
3.) Email
If you are able to scan the image, you can email it to us as an
attachment. Also, many of the local print shops can scan it
for you for a nominal fee.
Please scan photos at a minimum of 300 dpi and up to 600 dpi for best
results.
Negatives should be scanned at a minimum 2400 dpi.
We are available to walk you through the scanning process via email
or over the phone for all the best settings, if needed.
Our rates
Our rates for restoring a photo are as follows
and includes 1 - 8x10 or 2- 5x7's:
Light Restoration - Some white or black spots, light scratches,
grainy, photo in need of lighting enhancements: $29
Moderate Restoration - a few creases, some larger
scratches, spotting or discoloration: $39 - 49.
Heavy Restoration - many creases, tears, some
subject matter missing, discoloration, etc. (The Chichizola Store,
above, is an example of Heavy Restoration)
Extra prints after the initial print:
- 8x10: $10 ea.
- 5x7: $7 ea. or increments of 2 @ $5 ea.
We will price the actual restoration work up front, upon examination of the
photograph. We don't believe in springing any surprises on you
with the
price, just on the final results.
Other size prints are available, even up to poster size.
The restored image can also be put on CD for an additional $9.
Please
feel free to
contact us for more information.
Here is another example. This is the Columbo Saloon in Jackson, taken about 1894:
Before:
After Restoration: