Bring us the shoebox.
We scan, restore and archive family photographs by hand, here in Littleton, Colorado. Your originals never get shipped away, and every one comes home better housed than it left.
- Done here in Littleton. Nothing is mailed to a bulk processor.
- Handled by one person. The same hands from drop-off to pickup.
- Originals always come back, in acid-free archival housing.
- A written quote first. No work starts until you say yes.
What we do for your photographs
Every job starts with an exact, written quote, so you know the cost before anything is done.
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Scanning
Prints, slides and negatives scanned by hand at high resolution. You get everyday files for sharing and full-resolution masters for safekeeping.
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Restoration
Tears, creases, stains, fading and missing corners repaired digitally. Your original is never altered.
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Colorization
Careful, researched color added to black-and-white photographs, delivered alongside the untouched original. We’ll tell you where we had to make choices.
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Reprints
Prints of originals or restorations in the sizes you need, for framing or for every sibling.
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Archival housing
Originals rehoused in acid-free archival sleeves, folders and boxes. Fragile prints get enclosures made to fit.
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Organizing
Sorted by person, year or event. We transcribe the notes written on the backs and save names, dates and places inside each file, so they travel with it.
Also on the bench
- Slide & negative collections
- Slides and negatives dusted, scanned and named in order.
- Sticky album rescue
- The glue in “magnetic” albums from the ’60s to the ’80s yellows and grips photos over time. We lift them safely and rehouse them.
- Phone & cloud clean-up
- Duplicates and screenshots cleared out of Apple Photos or Google Photos, and a family archive set up that everyone can share.
Home movies, videotapes or audio cassettes? Ask us and we’ll tell you what we can arrange.
Colorized. Captioned. Kept.
Two more things a photograph can become once it’s in good hands. Try them.
Catalog record · Item 027
- Name
- Cassius “Cash” Hall
- Date
- About 1901
- Place
- Hall Valley, Colorado
- Written on it
- “My Father, Cash Hall”
- Saved in file
- Caption, names, date and place, readable by photo apps and genealogy software
- File name
- 1901_Hall-Cassius_HallValley-CO_027.jpg
How your photos are handled
You always know where your originals are and who has them.
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Bring them in
Drop off by appointment. We go through the box together, and you leave with an itemized receipt.
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Get a written quote
An exact price for exactly what you want done. Nothing starts until you approve it.
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We do the work here
Scanning, restoration and rehousing all happen in our Littleton workroom. Nothing gets shipped out.
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Review your files
You get a private online gallery. Ask for changes to any restoration before we finish.
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Take everything home
Originals in archival boxes, plus your files on a USB drive or as a download.
Your photos never leave Littleton
While they’re in our care
- Handled by hand, by the same person, from drop-off to pickup.
- Never mailed to a bulk processor. Everything is done here in Littleton.
- Never cut, trimmed or written on. Anything stuck stays stuck until we’ve talked.
- Your photos are yours. We never show or share them without your permission.
Questions people ask
What kinds of photographs can you scan?
Prints of most sizes, Polaroids, slides, negatives, albums, and old formats like tintypes and cabinet cards. Larger items, such as maps or diplomas, we’ll look at in person.
What will I get back, and in what file types?
Your originals, rehoused, plus two sets of files: everyday files that open anywhere, and full-resolution masters for long-term keeping.
Do my originals ever leave your hands?
No. Everything is scanned and stored in Littleton, by the same person who took them in, and you get every original back.
Can you fix a photo that’s torn, faded or stuck to glass?
Usually, yes. Tears, fading, stains and missing pieces are repaired on the digital copy, and the original is left as it is. If a photo is stuck to glass or to another photo, please don’t try to pull it apart. Bring it in as it is.
Is colorization accurate?
It’s an informed interpretation, not a record. We research clothing, places and periods, and we ask you what you know, like the color of a dress or a car. You always get the black-and-white original too.
My photos are in an old “magnetic” album. What should I do?
Leave them in. Peeling can tear or curl prints. Bring the whole album; we can scan pages as they are and then lift the photos out safely.
How should I store photos at home in the meantime?
Somewhere cool, dry and dark, like an interior closet. Avoid attics, basements and garages, rubber bands, paper clips and ordinary envelopes.
Request your free quote
Tell us roughly what you have, and we’ll reply with a written estimate. There’s no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call (443) 834-5567 or email info@littletonarchival.com.