Loose photo scanning

We collect. We scan. We return. There is a bit more to it than that — but you can leave the details to us. Whether you’re sending a single shoebox or a lifetime of albums, the process is simple, secure, and handled with care every step of the way.

Loose photos (or “prints”) are the most common items we digitise — from decades of family snapshots kept in old developer envelopes to shoeboxes full of mixed-year memories. If it’s an individual photograph up to A4 in size and not mounted or framed, we can scan it.Our high-speed professional scanners gently handle large volumes, producing crisp digital files you can easily share, store and enjoy.

Our definition of a loose photo

A loose photo is:

  • An individual print up to A4
  • Not mounted on card, framed, or stuck into an album
  • Easy to shuffle through by hand
  • Stored loosely in envelopes, original print pouches, or small bundles

If your photos tick those boxes, they go through our fastest and most economical scanning route.

What isn’t a loose photo?

Some prints need a little extra care — for example:

  • Photos in frames
  • Wallet-style pouches where images are stuck back-to-back
  • Flip-style albums with sliding pockets
  • Prints with tape, Blu Tack, glue residue or photo corners attached

We can absolutely scan these too — they just need a different workflow, and pricing is slightly different. You don’t need to remove anything yourself; just keep these together in clearly marked bundles.


Our process

Loose prints are scanned on our custom-built, high-speed equipment. This allows us to:

  • Digitise large volumes quickly
  • Count photos automatically
  • Scan the front and back (on request)
  • Produce consistent, archive-quality images

To protect both your originals and our scanners, loose photos must be free from adhesive, sticky residue, or glue. If some of your photos have this, simply place them in a separate bundle and we’ll handle them manually.

Prior to sending

  • No counting needed — though a ballpark is helpful for ordering
  • No sorting required by size, date or colour vs B&W — mixed batches are fine
  • Do keep different media types separate e.g. slides, negatives, mounted prints
  • Don’t write numbers on the back — inks often transfer and can permanently mark other photos

As a guide, a well-packed shoebox holds around 1,000 loose photos.


Front and back scanning

If you’d like us to capture the writing or notes on the reverse:

  • Let us know by email once your order has been placed
  • Provide a batch specifically for double-sided scanning, or
  • Request front-and-back for your whole order, our scanners cannot switch modes selectively within the same bundle


Ready to order?

You can book online in minutes. If you have a mix of media types or aren’t sure how to bundle things, just drop everything into clearly separated groups — we’ll take care of the rest.