Photo Restoration Services

Photo restoration is one of the most personal services we offer at Yellow Lab Imaging — and one of the most difficult to price in advance. Every damaged photograph is different. The extent of fading, tearing, water damage, missing elements, or color shift varies enormously from one image to the next, and the time required to restore it properly varies just as much.

We handle every restoration project by hand in Photoshop — no automated filters, no batch processing, no AI-generated guesswork. A real person looks at your photograph, assesses what needs to be done, and does the work. The results reflect that.

What We Can Restore

Over the years we have worked on photographs in nearly every condition imaginable. Common restoration projects include:

• Faded or color-shifted prints: Photographs from the 1960s through 1990s are particularly prone to color shift as dyes break down over time — reds and yellows fade while other colors shift in unexpected directions. We rebuild the original color relationships using reference points in the image and, when available, descriptions from the family.
• Torn or physically damaged prints: Tears, creases, water stains, mold damage, and missing corners or edges can all be repaired digitally. How completely depends on what information remains in the image — we can rebuild what was there, but we cannot invent detail that was never captured.
• Missing elements and compositing: We have repositioned subjects, removed unwanted elements, and reconstructed missing background details. One recent project involved removing one subject and repositioning another from a set of old negatives to create a new family portrait as a surprise birthday gift.
• Low-contrast or underexposed images: Photographs that have lost contrast and appear flat or muddy can often be significantly improved through careful tonal reconstruction.
• Negatives and slides: If you have original negatives or slides rather than prints, those can often be scanned at high resolution and restored digitally from the scan.

How Restoration Pricing Works

Restoration is priced at $60 per hour with a one-hour minimum. Every project is quoted individually after we have seen the photograph.

We will not quote a restoration project without seeing the image first. This is not an unusual position — it is the only reasonable one. Asking us to price a restoration over the phone without seeing the photograph is a lot like asking a painter to quote painting your house over the phone without seeing it. The variables that determine the actual work involved are only visible in the photograph itself.

Once we have reviewed your image — either in person or from a high-resolution scan you send us — we will give you a clear estimate of the time involved and the expected cost before any work begins. There are no surprises.

How the Process Works

1. Contact us first: Email us at info@yellowlabimaging.com to start the conversation. Describe the photograph and the damage as best you can, and attach a photo of it if you are able — even a smartphone snapshot gives us useful context.
2. Review and quote: We will review your image and provide an honest estimate of the time and cost involved. If the project is straightforward, we can often quote it quickly. If it is complex, we may ask to see a higher-resolution scan or the original print before committing to a number.
3. Send your originals (if needed): If we need the physical print, negative, or slide, we will provide secure packaging and mailing instructions. Please do not send physical materials without prior confirmation. We want to make sure your originals are tracked and protected every step of the way.
4. Restoration work: We complete the Photoshop restoration by hand and keep you updated throughout the process. When the work is complete, we will send you a digital proof for your review before printing.
5. Printing and delivery: Once approved, the restored image is printed on archival photographic paper and shipped to you. Your original materials are returned with your order.

After Restoration — Display Options

Many customers who restore a damaged photograph want to display the result in a way that honors the image. After restoration, we can produce your print in any format we offer — from a standard Lustre photo print to a canvas gallery wrap, a metal print, or a fine art archival print. The restored digital file belongs to you and can be reprinted at any size.