TimeLens Digital Imaging is a home based design production studio and has been in operation since 2008.
We offer a personalized and professional service. We are not a bulk restoration /retouching or archiving service and all work is hand processed and painstakingly carried out to give top quality and outstanding results. Our private and intimate Japanese Courtyard Studio offers you the time to sit and discuss your restoration, archiving or design needs without feeling rushed in a queue or your needs relayed to another person. We conference directly with you on your design needs and special requirements,
Every digital photo restoration is produced with technical skill, artistry and dedication to detail to restore your special image and achieve the authenticity of the era in which it was first produce, without comprising the unique aesthetics of the time and processing techniques and appearing artificial. We do not rush this skilled process and badly damaged photographs can take some time to restore. The more damage the more intricate the repair and time spent on the restoration.
We are experienced in digitally restoring antique and historical photographs across a wide time frame from the first photograph images of 1839 and 1850 to modern day photos.
All photographs are handled with utmost care and stored in archival quality folders. They are digitally restored from a special high resolution photographic scan, lossless tiff file. Badly out of focus or badly exposed photos and negatives most of the time cannot be restored, but still submit these for a free appraisal – you never know?
In general faded colour can be restored or improved, or in non-retrieval cases tastefully converted to black and white or sepia. Faded black and white as well as sepia can be revived. Colourizing is also available for black and white or sepia photographs to give a fresh and revitalized special touch.
PRINTS
Our service also prints your restored image if required (extra cost to the restoration work). All prints are premium long life/archival or museum quality fine art prints with a selection of quality archival fine art papers available. We match photo papers as close as possible to the era in which it was first produced and ensure your restored photograph lasts for many years to come. We feel the print quality should match your special photograph, so care and time is taken with each print to ensure the best results and prints that last for generations to come. We use Epson Ultrachrome pigment inks with a print permanency of 75+ years displayed and 100 - 200 years in an album (following the manufacturers instructions). Our papers include Epson high quality range and Fine Art papers suited for antique and historical photographs - Epson Museum Quality 100% cotton paper, Fine Art Velvet paper, Hahnemuhle and Awagami papers. (Our collection of fine art papers is growing as we test each for colour trueness and verify permanency data.
Most restorations fall into the $71+ for Minor Restoration to $199 Major Restoration range. Extremely Damaged Photographs are $200+ and require a visual assessment and discussion with you before a price can be given.
The prices below are guidelines. Where a price is specified it is on inspection and discussion with you that a final price is given.
*See table below for pricing
Included in the price are digital copies of the BEFORE & AFTER images at archival size 700dpi JPEG files.
USB Flash Drives are an extra cost if required or bring along your own and we will place the files on it for you.
* RETOUCHING OF PHOTOGRAPHS is available
- this includes
NO RESTORATION WORK
. Basic colour enhancement (not colourizing)
. Basic brightness & contrast adjustment
. Basic minor sharpening of image
. Cropping of edges if required
Prices from $60 - $70 (no restoration work).
* COLOURIZATION or COLOUR REPLACEMENT - $60 to $80+ (This is a timely process and depends on the number of colours and tonal quality required). This is extra to any restoration work that may be required. This process is carried out after restoration of the image which may fall into any of the levels below.
*OVERSIZED PHOTOGRAPHS can be restored but require special handling. As a rule photographs over A4 require stitching from individual scanned images. This is professionally done and requires time and precision so that evidence of the stitching isn’t noticeable. See scanning and archiving for pricing.
PRICES OF LEVELS OF RESTORATION ARE AS BELOW
Areas of Restoration include:
Tone, brightness and contrast restored and balanced
Colour or sepia tones restored
Unsightly aspects cropped by hand, trimmed carefully as not to remove important sections of the photograph
Age damage reduction
Torn, cracked or creased, scratched, blemished areas restored
Your photo converted to black and white where colour can’t be restored
Old and antique photographs digitally restored
Digital restorations from old negatives (depending on the damage to these)
Backgrounds replaced
Photos merged to create one photograph
Removal of people and objects
Colour restored
Digital restorations of photographs in pieces, badly faded or stained
Colourizing of a photograph
Categories of Damage
Level 1 - Minor Restoration $71 - $94
A general improvement of your photograph - Lessening of minor scratches, small random spots, minor creases and tears in non-essential areas (if larger marks are on the face or part of the body is obscured, it is considered moderate damage). Brightness, contrast and colour adjusted as required, not fading restoration. Curled edges repaired, cropping of edges if required.
Level 2 - Moderate Restoration $95 - $119
A more in-depth restoration - where damage doesn't greatly comprise the quality of the photo. Removal of medium size scratches, medium spots, minor cracks, slight crazing and minor tears. Minor reconstruction in non-essential areas if required. Tone, brightness, contrast adjusted. Minor fading and colour adjusted, image sharpened if required. Minor mildew and minor silver mirroring. Adjustments and easing of smaller stains on faces and bodies. (Major marks and staining/discolouring on faces or body is considered major damage)
Level 3 - Major Restoration $120 - $199
Be aware the work required will take time to complete as each section of the image is worked through carefully and is a time consuming process.
Significantly damaged photographs - replacement of small missing areas or reconstruction. Broken glass/photo stuck to the glass. Fading, medium discolouration, staining spots or spots throughout, silver mirroring, photo in several pieces or torn. Moderate mould and mildew damage, some reconstruction due to mould damage (Bad mould infection falls into extreme damage). Moderate water damage. Some editing of background or people. Addition of people or objects. Combining or blending two photographs Photos from negatives or damaged negatives or photo proofs. Photos from photocopies/newspapers (these are formed by tiny dots/halftone and remain as originally produced, but can be restored and stains and missing patches reconstructed). Old Medallion Style portraits on tin backs - minor crazing, splits and tears repaired and yellowing lessened. ARTWORK - digitally cleaned (yellowing, stains, fading).
Extreme Damage - ($200+) pricing on assessment of photograph
Major soiling, extreme crazing or flaking , pieces missing/torn into pieces. Badly faded, (Be aware not all faded images can be retrieved) major staining, spotting or yellowing. Extreme mould and mildew infection and where reconstruction requires research. Badly water damaged, areas lifting and flaking away. Glass stuck to photo with discolouration and pieces missing. Old Medallion Style photographs with major crazing, tears. cracks, missing pieces and yellowing. Photos from old damaged proofs or badly damaged negatives (be aware not all can be restored). Where reconstruction requires research or rebuilding from a composite. Photographs requiring reconstruction - buildings, aircraft, cars, boats, clothing etc and objects requiring research. Old Photographs over 95 years old produced by historical processing techniques and requiring research into historical aspects of restoration,
Please Note
Cases of extreme damage are quoted on an individual basis. These restorations may take considerable time to complete and in extreme damage situations reconstruction and rebuilding may take considerable time and effort. Rebuilding can only go so far and results may represent the original image. Various techniques and skills are used to rebuild the image. Collaboration with the client is essential in these cases. Every effort is made to restore the image as close as possible to the original photograph.
TimeLens will always endeavour to restore a photographic image. If we feel that the photograph can't be restored we will inform you at the time of assessment.
Colourizing of a photograph - $60 - $80+ (this is extra to any restoration work required)
Colourizing is carried out after restoration of a photograph which may fall into any of the levels of restoration.
