Frequently Asked Questions
Do you do restoration work on the original photograph?
No. We make a copy file of the original picture and work only on the file. The risk of further damaging your photograph is too great to take. We prefer you to take it home right after we make a scan of the original copy.
Can you make a straight copy, without restoration?
Yes, provided that the original copy is in super good condition and is not copyrighted still.. Our services include restoration as an option.
How much does restoration work cost?
That depends on the condition of the original print. We offer different levels of restoration at different costs. We have to see the condition of the print before we can even quote our price. Be assured that our price is reasonable and competitive. . To get a good idea of the costs we recommend for your coming in and letting us look at your original. This is the only way to establish a firm price quote.
Will you send my original work out from the studio?
No. Your original will remain at our location or we prefer you take it home right after we make a picture of it (the process takes for about 5-10 minutes.). All work is done in the studio. In case when you leave the original with us, we will be storing it at a very secure place.
Is it worthwhile to get my photos copied or restored?
Yes, all things age as time ticks. Average life of old photographs are at best 50-70 years. It's a smart thing to do to restore old photographs so that they may last another 100 years or so for your future generations.. Our services are meant for important family heirloom photographs. If you have family snapshots that you need copied, maybe a photo finishing store or drug store might do the job more economically than we can. This is because we do all our work by hand rather than with automatic machines. Our quality is unsurpassed.
Does the cost of restoration include a finished print?
The price we quote usually include the first print only. Second and third prints, etc are far less than the first copy print.
Do you offer different print finishes?
Yes. You may choose from standard, classic or canvas finishes.
What is the difference between the glossy, classic, and archival classic finish?
Standard prints are prints textured but without any other finishes. Classic prints are textured and lacquered sprayed for protection against stain, etc. Canvas finish is prints mounted on canvas sheet and mounted on a stretcher frame.
All three finished are available in color or toned black and white (sepia).
Can every picture be restored?
Although we can improve the appearance of almost any photograph, not every picture can be made to look "new" again. If too much damage has been done to an area of the image that includes a face, we cannot recreate the face that has been destroyed. Also, if too much detail has faded away from your original, we can improve the picture but we cannot bring back what has been lost. If you bring in your picture to the studio we will be glad to tell you whether we can restore it successfully or not.
Can I enlarge an original picture to make a bigger size?
Yes, within reason. Even with our advanced digital technology, we do not recommend enlarging a picture to more than twice its original dimensions unless you are willing to accept quality loss. So if your original picture were about 4 inches by 5 inches, we wouldn't normally enlarge it beyond 8 inches by 10 inches because the image would begin to suffer.
Are there problems with old picture sizes?
Yes, sometimes. Old photographs rarely were made to the standard sizes that we use today. What this means is that if you want to put your copied photo into a modern frame, you have two options. We can print the picture to its original proportions and you can have a custom matte cut to make it fit a standard size, or we can crop the original to fit a standard size. If we crop, some of your original image will not show in the copy. This is a decision you will have to make based on what you want to do with the photo after it is copied.
Will you make me a copy negative?
No. For many years we used a traditional 4x5 copy camera for all our restoration work and provided the copy negative to the customer. Digital equipment makes this step unnecessary, however. Also, the digital process we use yields superior results to traditional methods. We do maintain a copy of your digital file so that you may reorder prints at any time.
If I am just getting a copy made without restoration, is there a copy charge?
No. all you pay for is the print. The cost of the scan is included in the print cost.
How long does it take to have copy and restoration work done?
That depends on the amount and complexity of the work. Simple copies are usually done in about a day or two. Restorations can take from 2-7 days or even longer depending on the original. Even though we use computers, we do all of the restoration work and printing, one image at a time. We can rush work in certain circumstances for an extra fee. However, if you are planning on holiday gift giving, please allow adequate time to have the work completed.