Our Story

Old Photo Specialist was founded in Greensboro, N.C. 1971 by William Heroy, a biomedical engineering graduate of Duke University. We had been at our location on Elm St since 1977 in downtown Greensboro (320 S. Elm St.) operating first as a photo restoration studio, second as a commercial and portrait studio, and last as a vendor and restorer of antique frames. Now, we operate from our brand new location in Summerfield, NC. We are well known locally and in the surrounding area for quality, archival products, with a strong emphasis on historical accuracy and pigment printing (referred to as giclee’). Old Photo Specialists spends a great deal of time repairing the smallest of details.

Though the vast majority of our work is concerned with old photos (made between 1840 and 1950), we often work with modern photos as well. Our specialty and favorites are the medium to large size convex oval and flat prints (that often look like pastel drawings), panoramic photos, and photos predating 1950; however, we are experienced in restoring faded color prints and cracked or damaged photos (documents, artwork) as well. Also, you will find that we maintain a stock of original oval frames and are able to repair older oval and ornate flat frames-and we often recreate small photos into large ones to fit into these frames.

All of our print reproductions include a lifetime warranty against fading and water damage (we lacquer finish all of our prints for extra longevity). It must be stated here that our favorite items to restore are the large antique oval photographs (they come in many sizes and shapes)as well as panoramic photos from WW1, WW2, the Spanish American War, and various family reunions and special events. Do not attempt to open a panoramic that has been rolled up as years of being in tubes will have made the emulsions brittle. Unrolling the photo may result in permanent damage to the original. Also, improper removal of a large convex prints from the frame can also result in damage to the print as well as the glass, which is very expensive to replace.