The service

How it works

We collect, we scan & we return.

There is a bit more to it than that. But we worry hard so you don't need to.

1. Place an order

Choose from of our individual services or pick Custom Order if you need something different. Keep an eye out for our courier pack which should arrive in your next available post. If you are sending something larger than a shoebox (fits perfectly in our courier envelopes) we'll need to send you a shipping box.

Icon depicting a pile of old photos that have been scanned to digital so they can be shared with loved ones.

2. Book your collection

For nationwide orders, pick a day and time slot for your courier collection. You can do this by emailing us. For local collections (within a 10 mile radius of Marlow) we'll be in touch via email or telephone. For London drop-offs (coming soon) we'll email you available time slots.

Icon depicting the digitisation process and old photos becoming digital once scanned.

3. Sit tight

The moment your photos arrive at the Lab, you'll receive an email from us confirming their safe arrival. A couple of days after that, you'll get another email with link to view and download your scans.

Icon depicting some old 35mm mounted slides.

4. Share, smile: repeat

Scaring relatives, shocking old friends, reliving distant fashion and admiring old haircuts, it all starts now. Enjoy, share and relive those memories. Your originals will be couriered back to you after five days.

Icon depicting the digitisation process and old photos becoming digital once scanned.

You're a stickler for detail? We know.

That's why we wrote our "Photo-Scanning-101". It has everything you could possibly want to know about our service. Be prepared though, it is rather long.

Photo scanning 101
Years of experience, delivered in days

Our scanning methods

Digitising a photo is the easy part.

You can do that on your phone, albeit at a snail’s pace and sub-standard quality. By choosing our service, you get so much more. And you won't be disappointed. Done correctly, you'll only ever need to do this once.

Simple

Digitising entire photo archives can be complex. Our speciality is keeping it simple.

Structured

However your photos arrive, we'll make sure they're kept in order and that each batch is decipherable from the next.

Sorted

Photos are returned in order and are packaged beautifully, even if that's not how you sent them.

Icon depicting a van returning a customers' photos after they have been scanned.

Getting your photos to the lab

No matter where you live, we have an option for getting your photos safely to us at the lab. Since 2012, we've operated an overnight UPS courier service which is quick, easy and efficient. It's also included in our standard pricing. For other options please see where we operate.

Icon depicting a box of old photos packed up ready to be scanned.

Packing your photos

There's no need to sort or organise your photos; unless you want to. The main thing is that they are securely and tightly packed for transit. We'll keep everything nice and tidy (even if that's not how you send them!) and will keep everything in order so the digital copies are relatable to the originals.

Icon depicting a strip of old negatives from a roll of film.

Talkin’ 'bout a resolution

We scan Loose Photos and Albums at 300dpi, as standard. 600dpi is available and you can read more about resolution here. For 35mm slides, there's no choice to make, our scanners digitise at the highest option possible. For RAW of TIFF files, please just ask.

Order, order!

What can we scan?

If it's flat and scannable, we can scan it.

We understand your old photos weren't all taken at the same time, or even in the same era. Photo collections are frequently amassed over multiple decades. Gathering them together can often mean a team effort involving several people and different locations.

We will always return your originals in exactly the same batches and order as they arrive. If you do need to organise things so they can be returned to different sources, any photos in batches will be scanned in batches and returned to you in batches. You can use elastic bands, string, or even pop them into envelopes. If you write on the front of the envelope, we can even scan those too. If unsure, please just get in touch and we can explain the options.

Yes we scan

Photos, slides & albums – obviously.
Birthday cards.
Scrap books.
Diaries.
Old telegrams.
Birth certificates.
Life stuff – the flat & scannable kind.

No we scannot

Kids' paintings with glitter and pasta.
Sticky photos – ask if unsure.
Photos with Blu Tak.  
Microfilm.
Copyrighted material – ask if unsure.
Anything illegal – you'd be surprised.
We don't develop film.

More info...

Everything you need to know

Why digitise?

What's it for? Why should you even contemplate this easy-to-put-off task?

Why now

How it works

Learn more about our service, how it works & how to get started today.

How it works

What we do

Our service in a nutshell, how it can help you and what we actually scan.

What we do