Photo Dr. Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How do I send my photos to you for photo restoration or custom digital work?

A. You have a number of different options. For traditional print photos, slides or negatives, you can mail the originals to us. We perform a high quality scan and return your originals to you unaltered. If you do not wish to part with your originals, you can scan them yourself and send the digital files.

If your photos are digital you can E-mail them if they are under 10 MB. If your digital photos are larger than 10 MB, of if you have a large number of files you should copy them onto a CD or memory card and mail them to us. All originals will be returned after they have been copied.

Q. Will there be any quality difference if I send a copy instead of the original photo?

A. In order to ensure the highest quality, it is best to start with the original photo. The better the quality of the photo we start work on, the better the results will be.  Very good results can also be achieved if you send us a high quality scan. Please see our section on scanning tips to get the best results.

Q. How much can a photo be enlarged?

A. This very much depends on the quality of the original photo, especially its sharpness. The better the starting photo, the more it can be enlarged, but there are always limits beyond which quality will start to suffer.

Q. Do you make any changes to the original photo?

A. Original photos sent to us are not modified in any way. We perform a high quality scan of your originals to produce a digital copy. All the work we do is on this digital copy, not your original. The photos, slides or negatives you send us will be returned to you unaltered in any way.

Q. Is it safe to send photos through the mail?

A. We have yet to have case of a photo lost in the mail. In general, the United States Postal service and Canada Post both seem to be extremely reliable. They both also offer the added security of a tracking feature for an additional fee.  If, however, you do not feel comfortable sending originals, a high quality scan can be nearly as good. Please refer to our scanning tips section for best results.

Q. What will I get back after a work order is completed?

A. You will be mailed back your original photo(s) together with a print of the restoration and/or a CD containing the digital file(s). If you have ordered additional prints you will also be sent these at the same time.

Q. How do I place an order?

A. You can E-mail us the digital photo or a low resolution scan of a print photo so we can give you a quote. You will need to describe what kind of work you want done, whether it is a simple correction or a full restoration. If you are not sure what is possible, please feel free to contact us with any questions.

You may then submit the photo(s) to us by E-mail or regular mail. Once we have the photo(s) we will scan or copy your original (which will be returned) and perform the required editing. A low resolution sample of the work will then be E-mailed back to you for your approval. If the sample meets your expectations you can submit payment and a print or CD will be made and sent out to you together with your originals. If you are not satisfied with the sample you need pay nothing and your originals will be returned.

Q. How long does it take to complete my order?

A. This really depends on the type of work needed and the number of photos submitted. Simple jobs on a single photo can be done in a day or two. If more photos submitted and the more complicated the work is required then the time needed increases accordingly. We can give you a time estimate when you submit your samples.

Q. Can you fix photos with large sections missing?

A. We can often replace missing sections in a photo. If the missing area is from the background it is much easier. Small damaged or missing parts of a persons face can often be repaired. If the damage to a persons face is too sever, it sometimes necessary for us to have a second photo of the same person so that some areas can be “transplanted” to the damaged photo. We will tell you if this is the case when give you a quote.

Q. Can you transfer my entire collection of old photos to a CD? What is the advantage to doing this?

A. Yes certainly. There are many reasons you should do this if you have a large collection of precious photos:

1. As photos age, they tend to fade and deteriorate. Scanning them and saving them on digital media (like a CD) ensures they will not deteriorate further.
2. Once digitalized, photos can be displayed on a computer for easy viewing. They may also be displayed as a slide show on a TV connected to a DVD player (compatible player required). Digital photos can be uploaded to the internet in web albums for easy display and sharing.
3. Photos on a CD are easy and cheap to copy and distribute to friends and family.
4. One CD can store a huge number of photos, allowing you easy access to all your images without taking up much space

Q. Can I review the restoration results before the finished prints are mailed to me?

A. Yes. We will E-mail ail you a sample image so you can approve the work that we have done.

Q. Why should I use Photo Dr. instead of a local photo lab?

A. Most photo labs just subcontract their digital editing work out to other companies. This means they act as middle-men, taking a cut of the profit and increasing the price you pay for a given service. Also, at the Photo Dr. , we do not have to pay the overhead of a brick and mortar store, and we pass the savings on to you. More importantly, high volume stores cannot match us for quality and attention to detail. If you feel your precious memories deserve the best, try us first. Remember, if you are not satisfied with the results we will rework the image till you are – or you don't pay!

Q. How does The Photo Dr. restore and enhance my photos?

A. Digital photo editing is a complicated process which involves the scanning (digitalization) of a photograph, if it is not already in digital form. The digital copy is then edited with computer software to restore it to better than new condition. How is this possible? Unless you are a professional photographer it is very difficult to always capture a moment with perfect exposure, framing and focus. Digital enhancing can help compensate for these factors, making edited photographs sharper and more vivid than originals. Color casts caused by fluorescent lighting or other factors can be corrected resulting in more natural skin tones. Any form of deterioration like tears, crease, scratches, mold, fading and stains can be repaired. It is also possible to do almost any form custom work you can imagine, like background swapping, object removal or montages. If you are not sure if something can be done, just ask us!

Q. How do I prepare my photo for shipping?

A. To ensure that your photos arrive safely we recommend packing them with care. If you have only a few photos, you can pack them between two pieces of cardboard that are held together with elastic bands. Place the cardboard in a suitably sized shipping envelope and be sure and write “ DO NOT BEND ” in large letters on the outside of the envelope. For very large photo collections, a box is more suitable. Make sure and pack the photos inside so they do not rub against each other during shipping. It is best to pack them in stacks with cardboard cutouts on both ends of each stack. This sandwich can be held together with elastic bands. Arrange the stacks in the box so the do not bump around. You can add packing material if needed to fill empty spaces.