Faded photo restoration: your picture is probably still there
If you are looking for faded photo restoration, you are probably holding a picture that has gone pale, yellow or nearly white. Maybe you can barely make out a face you love.
The good news is that a faded picture can very likely be brought back. Our artists restore faded photos every day. This page tells you what is usually still in a pale photo, how to care for it today, how to take a good picture of it, and what it costs.
A faded photo is usually not a lost photo
Fading looks different from one photo to the next. Faces go pale. The whole picture turns yellow or orange. Dark areas turn gray. Some prints look almost white, as if the picture had been wiped away.
In most faded photos, the picture is still there. It has only grown faint. Our artists bring back faded faces, and each photo is carefully restored with skill and attention to detail. In nearly every case, a pale photo can be made clear again.
Fading is not your fault. It is what light and time do to photos, even ones that were looked after and loved.
What to do with your faded photo right now
A few simple habits keep things from getting worse. Move the photo out of direct sunlight, and away from heat and damp. Hold it by the edges. Keep it flat.
Some things are better left alone. Do not wipe it, wet it or clean it with anything. Do not try to darken it with a pen or a marker. Do not tape it or laminate it.
If it is stuck to an album page or to the glass of a frame, do not pull it free. You do not need to. We can work from a picture taken right where it is. And take that picture soon. A photo that is fading keeps fading, so today's picture is the best one you will get.
How to take a good picture of a pale photo
To fix faded pictures well, our artists need to see whatever is still on the paper. Lay the photo on a table near a window, in soft daylight. A lamp or direct sun is too harsh. Turn the flash off. Flash bounces off the surface and washes out what little is left.
Hold your phone straight above the photo and fill the frame with it. If the photo is behind glass, leave it there. Stand so the window is to one side, not behind you, and move the phone a little until you no longer see yourself or the window in the glass. Take two or three pictures and send the clearest one.
Please do not brighten or edit the picture on your phone first. Send it as it is and let your artist do the work. Your original never leaves your house. If you would like help taking the picture, call or email us.
Faded color photos and black-and-white ones
A faded color photo often turns yellow, orange or reddish, or loses its color in some places more than others. Putting that right is simply part of the restoration. You do not need to add anything to your order for it.
Colorization is something different. It means adding color to a black-and-white or sepia photo. It is an optional extra at $19 per photo, and you decide whether you want it. A faded black-and-white photo can be restored and kept in black and white.
When you order, you can leave a note for your artist. If you remember the color of a dress, a uniform, someone's hair or eyes, tell us. Your artist works toward natural color, and you can ask for changes.
What you can expect to get back
Most of what you miss in a faded photo usually comes back: faces, expressions, clothing, the background, and the difference between light and dark.
Sometimes a small part of a photo has faded away completely. Your artist then carefully rebuilds it from what is left around it. We can fix nearly anything.
And you are never left guessing. We email you when your photo is ready. You look at it before anything is final. You can ask for as many changes as you need, with unlimited free revisions. If we can't get it right, you get your money back under our 100% money-back guarantee. If you are unsure about your photo, call or email us before you order.
What it costs, and how to begin
The price does not depend on how damaged or faded your photo is. A picture you can barely see is not charged more than one that is only a little pale. You choose your artist: $38 or $58 per photo. You see the exact price before you pay. You also choose the speed at checkout. Most orders are ready in 2 to 5 business days, delivered by email. If you are in a rush, there is a 24-hour option for an extra charge.
You may want a print too. A fresh print of the restored photo can go in the frame, while the faded original rests safely in a drawer, away from the light. Prints are optional, from $10, in sizes from 4x6 to 16x20 inches. Nothing is printed until you have approved the restoration.
The first step is a small one. Take a picture of your faded photo with your phone, just as it is. That is all you need to begin.