After something different? Ask us about our floating frames!

It’s also a good moment to check the frames you already have. Over time, we see so many photos that have become stuck to the glass, warped by moisture, or damaged when the glass breaks.

Our frames are built to last, using shatter-resistant acrylic plates instead of traditional glass. They’re clearer, lighter, and far safer for preserving your precious photographs.

Call us today to get any help or information you may need 01825  740986

The post Your Memories – Perfectly Framed first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Perhaps now is the time to finally restore that photo you’ve been holding onto and give it the place it deserves in a frame or on canvas.

Can’t decide between a canvas print or a traditional framed print? Our floating frame canvas prints offer the best of both worlds. Your canvas sits within a frame so it appears to float, giving a subtle depth and modern feel. You can choose a a frame in black, white, or natural wood – an easy way to display your photos beautifully without committing to one style or the other.

It’s also a good moment to check the frames you already have. Photos pressed against glass can sometimes stick, fade, or become damaged over time – and the longer it goes, the trickier it can be to restore them fully.

Our frames are built to last, using  shatter-resistant acrylic plates instead of traditional glass. They’re clearer, lighter, and far safer for preserving your precious photographs.

The post Sort the Photo Pile – And Frame or Canvas a Favourite first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Sunny weather might lift the spirits, but it’s not always so kind to precious photographs, especially if they’re on display…

Bright light and heat can quietly damage your photographs, especially those framed on walls or sitting near sunny windows. Over time, details fade, colours bleach out, and in some cases, images can disappear almost entirely.

So as things cool down a little for the winter, it might be the perfect moment to take a closer look at the photos you have on display. If they’re showing signs of fading or wear, now’s the time to act – before it really is too late.

We can help you preserve and restore what’s there, so your memories stay clear for years to come. A little sunlight can do a lot of damage. Let’s make sure your memories don’t get lost in the glow.

The post Enjoyed the Sun Lately? Your Photos Might Not Have… first appeared on Photographs Forever.

The ones in the hallway. On the fridge. The ones you’ve kept tucked in a frame since they were five – even though they’re now twenty-five (or forty-five!).

These little portraits are more than just a smile on a backdrop. They quietly record the passing of time. And they’re often some of the most looked-at photos in the house.

So if you’ve got an old school photo that’s starting to fade, or one that deserves to be displayed properly, NOW is the best time to get them restored back to their original condition.

The post Still Got a School Photo on the Fridge? first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Maybe it’s one that makes everyone laugh.
Maybe it’s someone no longer here.
Maybe it’s just so unmistakably them, it’s become a kind of shorthand for your whole family.

We call these the “repeat favourites” – the photos that get talked about, passed around, printed for others, stuck to fridges, and pulled out of albums like old friends.

And if they’re looked at that often, they’re probably worth preserving properly.

If your favourite family photo is starting to fade, crack, or crease, we’d love to help you restore it so it lasts another lifetime.

Maybe not every photo needs restoring. But the ones we return to again and again?
Those are worth saving properly.

The post That Special Photo? first appeared on Photographs Forever.

We all assume we have time.

Time to organise those old family photos, to sort through boxes of memories, to finally get them digitised. But life gets busy – and sometimes, the unexpected happens.

A recent customer of ours had always meant to get her late mother’s photo collection scanned and restored. The photos, passed down through generations, sat safely in boxes – until a house fire broke out in the very room where they were stored. She is now searching through ashes and rubble, trying to salvage what little she can. Most of the photographs are likely to be beyond repair. The slides have melted. What was once a priceless family archive is now damaged forever.

This isn’t the first time we’ve been contacted by someone after a disaster – when they realise their irreplaceable photos have suffered significant damage. While we’ll always do our very best to help and salvage as much as we can in these situations, the truth is, the best time to act is before something like this happens.

The post Once They’re Gone, They’re Gone. Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Here’s his story:

“The photograph was taken approximately 10 years in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp (just outside of Krakow).

The image is of Kazimierz Budzinski – who entered the camp on 24.04.1942 and was executed on 27.05.1942.

There was a galleried corridor in the camp adorned with images of inmates – his image struck me hard and I stopped for what seemed some time and examined it…examined his expression and his eyes….there was a look of abandonment and fear. I took the photo and kept it. I took this photograph because I wanted to make sure he and his tragic plight would never be forgotten.

Years later I asked Photographs Forever to preserve it and print it for me – which they did brilliantly and it now adorns a space on the wall in my kitchen. Friends et al who visit ask who he is – and by asking – its ‘job done’ because he has not been forgotten.

I subsequently had his number tattooed on my left forearm – exactly as it appeared on his left breast side and it reminds me of him as well as what we are capable, as humans, of doing. People ask about the tattoo and its significance – and again it serves its purpose well – he has not been forgotten.”

Hopefully by adding this to our blog it will be seen by many more people and will continue to reinforce Robin’s dedication to preserving the memory of this man who represents a huge number of people who suffered a similar fate during the Second World War.

The post Robin’s Solution to ‘Lest We Forget’ first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Here is the story of the album as told by Stephen:

“John Kempster joined Harland and Wolff, Belfast in 1900 and was appointed a managing director in 1906 in charge of the electrical plant. Kempster became involved in the construction and launch of both Olympic and Titanic. He was also a very keen photographer and in 2012 an album of photographs taken and developed by him came to light.

A lady walked into a Wiltshire auction house and asked if the album she was holding was worth anything. As well as a number of photographs of the Kempster’s family holiday in America in 1911 the album contained stunning, never seen before, photos of Olympic leaving Belfast for her maiden voyage and also the launch of Titanic and her own departure from Belfast for the first and last time. The photographs are of exquisite quality and finely detailed. The initial plan of the auctioneers was to break up the album and sell off the photographs singly or in small batches. Steve and Jane Raffield, collectors of Titanic memorabilia, were able to negotiate the purchase of the whole album so that this unique record of both Olympic and Titanic at Belfast would be preserved for the future. Photographs Forever digitalised the photos earlier this year in preparation for the album and selected photos to go into exhibition.

The original Kempster album

The album, photos and the rest of the Raffield Collection are currently on display in Brisbane, Australia.”

This is an article written by Stephen’s son Tom for the  Atlantic Daily Bulletin – Autumn 2024, explaining the story  in greater detail. Many of these historic photographs can be seen in the article.

The post The Appearance of John Kempster’s Photo Album of The Titanic first appeared on Photographs Forever.

Our customer Clive visited some time ago and brought one of the most fascinating photographs I have seen since I started restoring photographs in 2009. Not only is the quality of the original photograph stunning, the detail contained in the photograph is amazing and you can see some close up details below. This is Clive’s story:

“So here’s a little bit of a back story on the photo that you restored for me and the family. “The Stadium”

The first time I ever set eyes on the photo I was about 6 years old and my father Bruce was arguing with one of his uncles (Neil Cooke) who wanted to sell the photo to which my father was quite annoyed and gave him £100 saying sold (this was about 1980).

As my sister and I grew up the photo hung in the dining room of my parents house and for many years it would get admired from time to time when the room was used. my Grandmother Ouida Monica Cooke pointed out to us that her father (my great grandfather) Leon Douglas Cooke was one of the 5 ringmasters standing in the centre, (he is second in from the left Top hat on and white waistcoat showing) his wife Iona Cooke (Formally Ginnett’s) is sitting rather sternly on the horse to the left of the photo (4th in from the left, Black jacket, right arm on hip).

The photo was taken at  The British Empire Stadium (Now named Wembley Stadium) some time between 22nd June and 15th August 1925.

For the film lovers among you, the opening scene of the film “THE KING’S SPEECH” starring Colin Firth as King George VI giving his first ever public speech opening the British Empire Exhibition.

The original photo had some minor damage and had also started to fade due to light, I knew that I wanted to get this scanned and digitally preserved but also restored as best as possible and I wasn’t prepared to let any happy snaps have a go, It was with this in mind that I began my search, coming across Richard at Photographs forever (from an online search) and after meeting him I was more than happy to let him do his thing and what a wonderful job he did.

Thank you Richard I will be forever grateful for your work.”

Here are some small sections of this amazing photograph

Robertson and Ginnett’s Gigantic Circus was a significant attraction at the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley Stadium in 1925. This circus was part of the exhibition’s second season, which opened in May 1925 after considerable debate due to the financial challenges faced in the previous year.

The circus featured an impressive spectacle inspired by the famous chariot races held in the Circus Maximus of ancient Rome. Organized by Messrs Ginnett and Robertson, these races involved 400-500 performers in each event, creating a grand and thrilling experience for the audience.

The Ginnett family had a long history in the circus business, with their involvement dating back to the early 1800s. John Frederick Ginnett, a notable circus proprietor, was known for owning a popular circus during his time.

The British Empire Exhibition of 1925, which hosted the Gigantic Circus, was a significant event that aimed to develop imperial trade connections and foster closer political ties between Britain and its territories. Despite the financial challenges faced in the previous year, the exhibition reopened in 1925, partly in an attempt to recoup the government’s investment.

The inclusion of Robertson and Ginnett’s Gigantic Circus at this prestigious event underscores the importance of circus entertainment in early 20th-century British culture and its role in showcasing spectacle and skill at international exhibitions.

The post Historic and Fascinating Circus Photograph at Wembley 100 Years Ago first appeared on Photographs Forever.

The picture below shows the comparative size.

Here is Ross’s story:

“We run a yoga ashram in Southampton called The Yoga Sanctuary. The man in the photo is Swami Yogeshwar Ananda Saraswati, the guru in our lineage, known affectionately to us as Guruji. Guruji left his body in 1985 and I don’t expect there is picture of such detail (and size!) anywhere on the planet. Hence we are truly grateful, Photographs Forever’s work has meant a lot to all of the community here.

“The original photo was retrieved from an ashram in Rishikesh, India.

Swami Yogeshwarananda left home at 14 for a life of renunciation. He found his way to the Himalayas of North India and Tibet where he practiced severe Yogic disciplines for many years. Through this, he became an adept master and began teaching the wisdom of Yoga, setting up several ashrams across northern India. The Sanctuary’s roots stretch back to when our teacher (Steve Harrison) made contact with Guruji at his ashram in Rishikesh. Guruji left his body in 1985 but continues to inspire the work we do here at the Sanctuary to this day.

On a recent trip to the Rishikesh ashram last December we uncovered some photographs that hadn’t seen the light of day for many years. We brought them back to the UK to make digital copies and decided to get one blown up to life-size to display in our Yoga Shala. A few years back Photographs Forever had enhanced another picture of Guruji that we were also able to get blown up in size  so we knew they were the right people for the job!

We couldn’t be happier with the result. It is like he is standing in front of you in life-like detail. I expect this is the biggest and highest quality photo of Guruji anywhere on the earth and it will cherished by the whole community here for many years to come.”

Here is the website of the sanctuary : www.yogasanctuary.co.uk

The post Original Photograph Restored and Enlarged Over 15x first appeared on Photographs Forever.