Photo Restoration FAQ

A guide to restoring damaged photos

Do you have an old photo album at home, full of family gems just waiting to be re-discovered? Wish you could see the photos as they were originally intended, but you’re not sure if it’s possible? Learn more about our restoration expertise below.

Can a damaged photo be restored?

Our team of talented digital artists provide a number of high-quality professional photo restoration services. We achieve excellent results in old photo restoration, damaged photo restoration and antique photo restoration, for customers around Australia.

Our customers are often seeking restoration for sun, insect, stuck glass or mould and mildew damaged photos. Regardless of the extent of the damage, our editing team will take on the challenge to ensure your photos are brought back to life.

We back our craftsmanship so much so, that we offer a quality guarantee where the restoration work is free if you are not happy with the result. If you’re still unsure about trusting your treasured memories with strangers, give our friendly team a call and we’ll be happy to answer every question and query.

How much does it cost to restore old photos?

We live in a world of technology, where recent photos are at our fingertips and our old, most treasured photos of loved ones, are hidden away in boxes. When the day comes to reminisce, it might be that you notice the deterioration and wonder if restoration is achievable. The answer, with us, is yes!

We believe in providing detailed, upfront estimates so that you are able to budget and plan ahead on your restoration journey. The estimates are based off the amount of work that needs to be done and includes a high-resolution digital copy, additional prints and the restored photo mailed to you. Prices range from $80 for basic restoration jobs to $240 plus for major reconstruction and restoration. To receive a quick estimate to restore your beloved old photo, we ask you to send an snapshot to our team, who will assess the work involved.

A photo of my father as a young lad from the late 1800s had seen better days. Flashback did an excellent job on bringing all of them back to life – I was amazed at the transformation. They were extremely helpful throughout the entire process and I have no hesitation in recommending them for any restoration job.

Elizabeth W, Lane Cove

Thank you, you’ve brought tears to my eyes, so many happy precious memories I can share with the rest of the family. I received the hard copy prints yesterday. Just perfect, thank you so much.

Andrea, Wahroonga, Sydney NSW

I gave Flashback two 1800s photos of my grandparents which were in a very poor condition. I could not believe how they have come up, with a clear picture of how Annie and David actually looked. Highly recommended!

Janice Coleman Evans, Collaroy Plateau

Just wanted to let you know that I picked up our printed canvases this morning and I’m absolutely thrilled with the result! Thank you so much for your help with this project. I really couldn’t be happier!

Sarah H, Davis Marina, Balgowlah NSW

What is the best way to restore old photos?

At Flashback Photo Co, we handle your photos and documents with care. An exceptional restoration starts by individually scanning your old photos with high-quality equipment. The appropriate resolution will be set based on the size of each photo. This allows us to thoroughly examine the details and identify minute scuffs and scratches. Interestingly enough, a colour scan can be best for accurately restoring black and white photos or sepia tones.

When it comes to old photo restoration, it can be a tedious and time-consuming process. Often technology attempts guess colours and details with automated shortcuts, however, it’s best to leave it to the digital artists. Technology has advanced, but not yet enough to automatically remove the debris, dust and damage that mars old photos. The most thorough way to remove this damage is to then open the photo in Photoshop and zoom in on every inch. It is then a matter of getting to know and experimenting with the tools provided to repair these irreplaceable memories and treasures.

We encourage you to reach out to our team of talented artists, as our aim is to exceed your expectations of picture restoration.

See more FAQ’s here

What types of photos and images can we restore?

  • Photos – loose and in albums

  • 35mm slides

  • 35mm negatives

  • Large format negatives

  • Old documents

  • Old maps and plans

  • Posters

I gave Flashback two 1800s photos of my grandparents which were in a very poor condition. I could not believe how they have come up, with a clear picture of how Annie and David actually looked. Highly recommended!

Janice Coleman Evans, Collaroy Plateau

Thank you, you’ve brought tears to my eyes, so many happy precious memories I can share with the rest of the family. I received the hard copy prints yesterday. Just perfect, thank you so much.

Andrea, Wahroonga, Sydney NSW

A photo of my father as a young lad from the late 1800s had seen better days. Flashback did an excellent job on bringing all of them back to life – I was amazed at the transformation. They were extremely helpful throughout the entire process and I have no hesitation in recommending them for any restoration job.

Elizabeth W, Lane Cove

Just wanted to let you know that I picked up our printed canvases this morning and I’m absolutely thrilled with the result! Thank you so much for your help with this project. I really couldn’t be happier!

Sarah H, Davis Marina, Balgowlah NSW