Faded colour prints, brought back

Holiday snaps, school photos and wedding albums from the 1970s, 80s and 90s often turn orange, pink or pale as the dyes in the paper fade. Choose Enhanced and we correct the colour cast and the fading, keeping the light of the day.

See it mended

An early colour photograph of a woman in a feathered blue hat, the plate worn at the edges (before) — Woman wearing dress and blue hat with feathers and pinecones, about 1910. Autochrome. George Eastman House, no known copyright restrictions.

An early colour photograph of a woman in a feathered blue hat, the plate worn at the edges (mended) — Woman wearing dress and blue hat with feathers and pinecones, about 1910. Autochrome. George Eastman House, no known copyright restrictions.

An early colour photograph of a woman seated among flowers in a greenhouse, its colours dimmed (before) — Woman in greenhouse, about 1910. Autochrome by Mrs. Benjamin F. Russell. George Eastman House, no known copyright restrictions.

An early colour photograph of a woman seated among flowers in a greenhouse, its colours dimmed (mended) — Woman in greenhouse, about 1910. Autochrome by Mrs. Benjamin F. Russell. George Eastman House, no known copyright restrictions.

These two are among the oldest colour photographs there are: autochromes from about 1910, which fade too. We show them because they're in the public domain; your own prints from the 70s to the 90s get exactly the same treatment.

why prints fade.

The dyes don't fade evenly

A colour print holds three dyes, and they fade at different speeds. When the blue-green one goes first, everything drifts towards orange or magenta; in sunlight the whole picture goes pale. The picture is still there underneath.

Enhanced corrects the cast and the fade so skin looks like skin again and whites look white, without repainting or restyling anything. Scratches, dust and creases are mended at the same time.

Two versions to choose from

Enhanced: the colour cast and fading corrected.
Repaired: the damage mended, the colours left as they are now.

Try again offers Warmer colour, Cooler colour, Same again or Stricter with faces.

Faded print questions

My photos have gone orange. Can you fix them?

Yes. That's exactly what Enhanced is for: it corrects the orange or pink cast of faded colour prints and brings back their depth.

Should I photograph them in the album?

Take them out if you can: a print lying flat on a table, away from the window, gives the best result. Glossy album sleeves add glare.

Do you do whole albums?

Each photo is mended on its own, at your own pace. A pack of 15 credits is £34.99 and the credits last 12 months.

Will it make people look younger or smoother?

No. We never smooth skin, change anyone's age or make anyone look different. Faces are compared with your original.

where the photo used to be.

Holiday snaps gone orange? Bring them back.

See it mended

Free preview. £5.99 to keep it.