Question: I have some old faded, damaged and cracked photos. Is there any hope of saving them?
Answer: YES, there is hope! Watch the video on the following page for amazing before-and-after examples of what can be saved with photo restoration: https://spectralight.com/galleries/photo-restoration
Question: Should I buy Adobe Photoshop and fix it myself?
Answer: While you certainly could do that, it takes years of experience to become proficient with all the Photoshop tools you'll need to master for good results. We have been restoring photographs with Photoshop for over 30 years and we're still learning new “tricks.”
See a photograph restored using a variety of Photoshop skills to achieve amazing results. The actual time to restore the photo was two-hours – but you'll see it done in four-minutes in this time lapse video: https://youtu.be/CmUYRCKlo-4
Question: So what is the process for restoring photographs?
Answer: First, we'll meet with you to evaluate your photograph to determine what needs to be done. We'll provide a quote, and if you wish to proceed, you'll leave a deposit.
We'll start the restoration process by copying your photograph with a high-resolution, digital scanner to capture as much detail as possible.
Next, we'll edit the digital file we created from your original photograph in Adobe Photoshop. We'll then methodically rebuild cracked or missing areas of the photo. If it has faded – we'll add contrast to give it more brilliance. If the photograph has turned yellow, orange or blue – we'll restore as much of the original color as possible. The entire process may take several hours to get the photograph looking as good as new.
You may purchase as many prints as you need for loved ones from the restored digital file. Then everyone can enjoy the photograph for years to come.
Finally, we'll meet with you for delivery of your original, unaltered photograph and restored copies.
Question: How much photo restoration experience do you have?
Answer: We have been restoring faded and damaged photographs since 1981 – well before digital restoration was available. Back then, the process involved several more steps than today's methods with the results being “OK” at best. The costs were actually much higher years ago because of the additional steps required to restore photographs.
Question: Why should I have my photograph restored by SpectraLight Photography instead of another studio?
Answer: SpectraLight Photography is regarded as one of the leading photo restoration specialists in the country. We have been perfecting our restoration techniques for over 40 years with a blend or artistry and technical skills.
Unlike other companies, we will NOT do any work on your original photographs. (Old photographs don’t do well with retouching done directly on them.) Also, your photos never leave our studio throughout the entire process. To best preserve them, they stay in our humidity and climate-controlled facility until your order is complete.
Unfortunately, most other studios ship their restoration orders to third-world countries where laborers earning extremely low wages do the work. Sometimes, photos get lost or damaged in shipping on the huge cargo ships that cross the Pacific.
Question: Can you tell me how much it will cost to restore my photograph without you seeing it first?
Answer: Unfortunately, trying to provide an accurate quote without seeing the photograph is difficult because we don’t know how much work is needed. It would be like calling an auto repair company and asking for a quote to fix your car when you have an accident. They would need to see it first to assess the damage.
To give you some idea of cost, we charge $25 to create a high-resolution scan of your photograph. The cost for doing the digital restoration usually runs between $45 and $95. Prints are additional and start at $19.
Question: I have a photo that's stuck to the glass of an old picture frame. I would like to put it in a new frame. Should I try to peel it off the glass using a hot blow dryer or soak it in water to remove it?
Answer: We would NOT advise trying to remove your photo from the glass using ANY means. You may eventually separate it but a part of the print may remain stuck to the glass in the process. It would then require a photo restoration specialist to digitally rebuild the areas that were damaged when you removed it.
The best solution is to have a photo restoration specialist scan the photo while it's still attached to the glass with a high resolution scanner to create a digital file for restoration. Then, new prints can be made from the retouched digital file.
Question: I have photos that are soaking wet and stuck together from a recent flood. What should I do?
Answer: Watch this video that aired on Cleveland’s WEWS TV (an ABC News affiliate) covering tips we gave for saving flood-damaged photos: https://youtu.be/GT5oejyYJJI
Question: What would you charge to evaluate my photograph?
Answer: Contact us to schedule an appointment to bring in your photograph for a no-cost, no-obligation quote through this link or call 440.748.6300 (NOTE: This is a landline so text messages won't come through.)
