That photo in the drawer?
It deserves to be on the wall.

Professional photo restoration for damaged, faded, torn, and aged photographs.

Serving the Gympie region in person and accepting enquiries from anywhere in Australia.

Some moments are worth saving.

You know the one. The photo that's been sitting in a box for decades, cracked, faded, water damaged, or torn at the edges. The only photo anyone has of someone you've lost, or of a moment that can never be recreated.

That image deserves better than a drawer.

With 18+ years of professional editing experience, I restore old and damaged photographs with care, precision, and deep respect for the memories they hold. I bring back faded tones, repair tears and scratches, reconstruct missing areas, and deliver a beautifully restored digital image that can be printed and passed down properly, the way it was always meant to be.

And as a fifth generation photographer whose family has been making portraits in this region since 1908, I understand better than most what those old images mean to the people who hold them.

I restore:

Faded or discolored photos
Torn or creased prints
Water or sun damage
Scratches and missing pieces
Black & white or colour images

Real restoration.
Done by hand.

A lot of people are surprised to learn that I hand edit every single restoration myself. I don't run your photo through an AI program and call it done.

AI restoration tools are getting better, but they're not perfect. They can remove the wrong things, fill in missing areas incorrectly, or produce a result that doesn't look quite right. I've seen AI tools remove the buttons off a shirt when asked to fix a scratch. That's not good enough for something this precious.

Every restoration I do is completed manually in Photoshop, using professional grade tools and a trained eye that knows the difference between what should be there and what shouldn't. I work carefully and deliberately, and I check in with you throughout the process to make sure the result feels true to your memory of that photo.

Your original is always handled with the utmost care and returned to you safely.

How it Works

Bringing your cherished photos back to life is easier than you might think.

STEP ONE - SEND ME A PHOTO OF YOUR PHOTO
Before you do anything else, just send me a photo of it. A clear well-lit photo taken on your phone is fine to start with. From that I can assess the damage, work out roughly what's involved, and give you a ballpark quote so you know what you're looking at before you make any effort or commitment. This quote is approximate because sometimes once I get the original in my hands and scan it in properly there's more work involved than a phone photo shows, but it gives you a good idea of where things sit.

STEP TWO - WE CONFIRM YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD

Once you're happy with the quote and want to proceed, that's when we work out the best way to get your original photo to me. If you're local to the Gympie region you're welcome to drop it off at my studio in Widgee or we can arrange postage. This way nobody is making a trip or going to any effort until we both know it's worth it!

STEP THREE - THE RESTORATION

Once I have your original I'll scan it in using my professional Epson Perfection V600 scanner at the highest possible resolution and get to work. I'll keep you updated and check in with you on any decisions that need your input along the way.

STEP FOUR - DELIVERY

When the restoration is complete you'll receive a high resolution digital file perfect for saving, sharing or printing. Your original photo is returned to you safely. If you'd like a physical print I can organise that separately at an additional cost.

after results of photo restoration of an old photo of three people by sugar shot studio

before image of an old photo. image is torn into two pieces.

Colour Options

For every restoration you can choose from three colour options. You can keep the original colours as closely as possible to how they appeared when the photo was first taken, convert to black and white, or for black and white photos I can do a full colourisation to bring them to life in colour. I work closely with you to make sure the colours feel natural and true to your memory.

What Can Be Restored?

Faded or discoloured prints, torn or physically damaged photos, water or mould damage, scratched film negatives, slides and transparencies that need digitising, colourisation of black and white photos, reconstruction of missing areas, and old digital photos that need a refresh.

Scanning Services

Did you know I also offer professional scanning services? Using my Epson Perfection V600 scanner I can digitise photos, slides, transparencies, film negatives and even documents at high resolution so they can be preserved, shared and printed properly.

This is perfect for those boxes of old slides or negatives that have been sitting in a cupboard for decades with no way to view them. Once they're digitised you can actually see them, share them with family, and get prints made for the first time.

Scanning can be done as a standalone service or as part of a restoration job. Just get in touch and let me know what you've got and we can work out the best approach.

Pricing

Not sure which tier fits your photo?

Upload it for a free assessment, and I’ll recommend the best option.

BASIC RESTORATION

Perfect for photos that just need a little help. Minor spots, small scratches, contrast and clarity improvements, and light fading correction. If your photo is in reasonable condition but has lost some of its life over the years, this is where we start. Quick, precise, and focused on bringing back the clarity that was always there.

Price: $75 - $125

STANDARD RESTORATION

For photos with moderate damage that need more involved work. This covers scratch removal, tear repairs, more significant fading correction, and basic colourisation with your input on details like eye colour and clothing. Great for sentimental family photos and portraits that need a noticeable improvement while keeping the heart of the original intact.

Price: $300 - $450

PREMIUM RESTORATION

For the complex ones. Heavily damaged photos, missing sections that need to be reconstructed, significant fading where colours need to be rebuilt from scratch, and full colourisation of black and white images. This is the tier for your most precious heirlooms, old wedding photos, and group portraits where every detail matters. These jobs can take six hours or more and every decision is made carefully and deliberately. This is not a job for an AI program. It's a job for someone who cares.

Price: $500 - $750

UPLOAD PHOTO/S

• Professional quality prints available from $5*

• Wall art available from $200*

• Multiple image discount: save 10-15% on the total for three or more photos restored together.

*does not include postage

Suzanne Walker

“Hannah did a brilliant job of bringing an old family photo back to life for us. Even though it was not damaged and the memory is still there when you look at the photo, it looked old, faded and tired. Now it is like the life is back in it and even though there are people in the photo that have passed, it has brought life back to the them 'in the photo'. It is difficult to explain the feeling but I am so grateful to Hannah for the magic she performed on our photograph. Customer service also brilliant. Highly recommend Photography and Design by Hannah"