Old photo restoration

Bring your oldest family
photographs back to life.

Victorian-era portraits, Edwardian family groups, early 20th century prints — I specialise in restoring old photographs with the care and sensitivity they deserve.

Old photographs

Restoring old photographs
the right way.

Old photographs — particularly those from the Victorian era through to the mid-20th century — require a different approach to restoration than more recent images. The photographic processes of the time produced distinctive tones, textures and characteristics that are part of the photograph's identity. Restoring an old photograph well means preserving those qualities, not erasing them.

My background in graphic design, photography and illustration means I understand how to read the tonal language of old photographs — the warm sepias of albumen prints, the cool silvers of gelatin silver processes, the hand-colouring of early studio portraits. I restore each image in a way that's faithful to its era.

Common damage in old photographs includes foxing and brown spots, fading, cracking emulsion, mould, insect damage and the physical deterioration of the paper or card mount. All of these can be addressed digitally — working from a high-resolution scan of the original.

Types of old photos I restore
Victorian and Edwardian studio portraits
Early 20th century family and group photographs
WWI and WWII military portraits
Sepia and albumen prints
Hand-coloured photographs
Mid-20th century black and white prints
Before — Victorian portraitBefore
After — Victorian portrait restoredAfter

"You've enabled our ancestors to emerge from the mists of time!"

Sue J — Cootamundra NSW

You only pay if you're completely delighted — guaranteed.  |  Unlimited proofing  |  Free quote within one business day

Examples

Old photo restoration examples

BeforeBefore
AfterAfter
1916 portrait — fully restored
BeforeBefore
AfterAfter
Antique portrait — heavy damage recovered
BeforeBefore
AfterAfter
Hand-coloured Victorian photograph — restored and reprinted

Ready to restore an old photograph?

Pricing from $75 for lightly damaged old photographs to $350+ for severely deteriorated images requiring extensive reconstruction. Send me a snapshot for a free assessment.

You only pay if you're completely delighted with the result.