I locked myself out of the car once, and I had my wife send me a close up picture of my spare key. The locksmith I went to had a new car key ready for me in a few minutes. So yes, it is possible. The person I worked with did say that not every locksmith would be able to do this, though.
You see, on a pin tumbler key, the ragged edges on the side are the key’s secret. To make a copy, you need to know how deep those cuts go into the key so that you can make equal cuts onto a blank key of a similar size. That’s the basics of how key cutting works.
So a seasoned locksmith with plenty of experience can look at a picture and make good enough assumptions about the cuts to get the key working. If you need key cutting Halifax (and have the original), these people can help you.
