restoration | Photographs Forever

2020 has been a very unusual year in so many ways for all of us. One factor that has occurred to many of us is the importance of the family and close relationships as we have had time to reflect.

I will be moving to a smaller house soon and, as I have to get rid of quite a lot of ‘stuff’, it has occurred to me that when I look around the house to decide what’s precious, there really is very little that I couldn’t live without. Except photographs. Photographs are one of the very few things that can’t be replaced and they are therefore possibly our most important and valuable possession.

Because we have all had more time on our hands than usual, photograph collections that have been overlooked for years have finally been finding the light of day and getting them scanned and either optimised or fully restored has enabled these very special photographs to be enjoyed so much more.

So, if you haven’t checked out your own photograph collection yet, there is no better time than the cold dark winter months. Apart from anything else, it is actually a very enjoyable exercise. So make that diary note to do it. You’ll be glad you did.

There has been a very big increase in the number of photographs I have received because going through the masses of old family photographs is a job that is so often put off by many people due to lack of time and for these past few months have provided the time and the environment to tackle the task. It’s always much more fun than people expect. And the rewards are huge.

I am now very excited to be able to offer you a top quality bespoke framing service. This means I can offer custom size prints, mounts and frames to show off your restored photographs in the best way possible so they can receive the attention and admiration they deserve.

The most popular moulding is the solid wood satin black or mahogany with single or double mounts.

Satin Black Frame

Mahogany frame

I can also provide multi aperture frames – the one below is 20in x 16in with two landscape format 8in x 6in prints and two portrait format 5in x 7in prints. There are several multi aperture options available and the frames can be any size you choose. Heavier mouldings are available for larger sizes.

I can even show you what your photograph will look like before you order including all the relevant dimensions. This is particularly useful if you want a specific frame size to fit a specific space in your house.

A representation of your own photo with dimensions added

Further details are available here

This photograph was in a really bad state as you can see below.

Ann M was very happy with the result. She told me “My Mum’s picture has pride of place on the mantelpiece and is a great talking point for everyone who comes in! My brother and sisters back in Ireland have been astounded and delighted with the copies I sent them. It has given us all so much happiness.”

I am operating normally during these difficult times. I work from home on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in Sussex.

Royal Mail are continuing to operate as normal so work coming to me and going out by post is not affected.

I am restricting face to face customer meetings but have arrangements for my customers to deliver their photographs and collect their completed orders. If you are working from home and with the restrictions ongoing out it could just be a great time to concentrate on going through your old photographs and those on your phone/computer and start to make the most of them.

If you need any advise or help just give me a call.

In the meantime stay safe.

I was provided with two poor quality scans of cut-out damaged photographs that were not to scale with each other and asked to combine them and add a fitting background.

Here’s the result.

My customer John G had a photograph he had taken of an old oil painting of an early member of his family (centre photo above). The photograph he gave me was not very good quality itself and you can see by the close up of the face on the left that the surface of the painting was also very cracked and damaged.
On the right is the same section after I had digitally restored it.

Here is a photograph I restored recently that had a burnt patch and lots of creases. I removed them and then went on to add colour.

My customer Brian C contacted me to restore his Grandfather’s certificate on which the handwritten personal information had badly faded in the frame. I asked Brian for the story behind his enquiry and he wrote this back to me –

“The certificate was presented to my Grandfather, an engine driver at Horsham, Sussex when he retired from British Railways in 1964.

It had hung on the wall in his house for many years, in a frame with no mount or seal and in bright sunlight. The effects of this are clear from the pre-restoration pictures.

When he died in 1982, I was given the certificate, which I had properly mounted and framed, however the damage was already done.

I have looked from time to time for somebody to restore it, however those I contacted all said it was too difficult. I saw your website and what you do, the old telegram being the clue, as most of your work is around photographs and I thought I would contact you to see if you could do anything for me. The answer is plain to see – a beautifully restored certificate, which looks like new, and will grace my wall as a nice reminder of my late Grandfather.”

John, now long retired, and in the centre picture as a boy, had these three photographs of his brother, himself and his dad on his brother’s new motorbike. He the thought the photographs were beyond repair and was absolutely thrilled that I managed to get the photographs to look this good again. I even turned his dad around so they are all facing the same way to go into the frame!

My customer John G wanted to get his grandfather with his two brothers together in a single photograph with a Scottish background.

Here are the three individual photographs and below the final result

Here’s the review John left for me on Yell.com

“Please accept my wonderful thanks for the restored colour job you did to the photo of my late grandfather and his two brothers.
You have done a very professional and absolutely stunning job. You are very talented at what you do.” John G

Archive for restoration

What’s YOUR Most Important, Irreplaceable Possession?

Top Quality Framing For Your Restored Photograph

Badly Damaged Photograph Restored

Business As Usual

Combine Two Separate Photographs Into One

Restoration of Photo of Deteriorating Oil Painting

Military Group Photograph Restored and Colourised

Badly Faded Certificate Saved!

Thought to be Lost – Restored to a Good Result

Three Brothers Together at Last in One Photograph