Frequently Asked Questions

No. Every restoration is carried out by hand by Merv Spencer using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Merv studies each photograph closely, working section by section to repair tears, fill gaps and correct fading — often using other prints you provide of the same person or scene as a reference. Nothing is generated automatically by AI software.

Restoration starts from £20 for Category A (faded photos restored in colour, black & white or sepia), from £25 for Category B (photos needing additional work such as small creases), and Category C (photos that are not fully intact or need extensive restoration artwork) is priced on application. See our full Prices page for prints and digital files too.

You can upload a scan or photo of your image directly through our Upload Your Photos page, post the original print to our Belper studio, email it to us, or drop it off in person by appointment. Full details are on our Upload page.

Yes. If you post or drop off an original print, it is looked after with great care and returned to you by Royal Mail Special Delivery once your restoration is complete (postage is added to the final invoice).

It depends on the amount of damage. Simple fading or colour correction can be quick, while heavily torn or damaged photographs with missing sections may take several hours of careful work. We will give you a time estimate along with your free quote.

In most cases, yes. Merv has years of experience piecing together torn, faded, water-damaged and even partially missing photographs, often using other prints of the same subject as a reference for missing detail. Upload your photo and we will let you know what is possible.

We are based in Belper and are one of the highest-reviewed photo restoration services in Derbyshire, regularly working with customers across Derby, Nottingham, Heanor, Ilkeston, Ripley, Long Eaton, Alfreton and the wider Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area. We also restore photographs for customers right across the UK by post and by upload.

We accept .jpg, .tif, .png, .psd and .zip files, up to 20MB through our upload form. For scans, a high-resolution TIF file (at least 1200dpi) gives the best results — see our Scanning Tips page. For files over 20MB, we recommend WeTransfer, Dropbox or iCloud.

Yes. Once you are happy with your restored photo, we can supply high-quality prints through a professional photo lab (not an inkjet printer), as well as digital files for download or on disc. See our Prices page for print and digital file costs.

Yes. Your photograph is treated with the same care we would give our own family photos. By sending us an image you confirm you are the copyright owner or have permission from the copyright owner for us to work on it.