How can I digitize and enlarge an old printed photo when the negative is missing?
Asked 12/6/2017
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2 answers
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I have a small color print from the early 1990s (about 10×15 cm) of someone very important to me, and the negative cannot be found. I’d like to preserve it digitally and make a larger print if possible.
What is the best way to digitize an old print with the least quality loss? Is flatbed scanning best, or can photographing the print produce better results? Can careful sharpening or other editing help when enlarging, and what kind of professional should I look for to do this well?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
3
The best way of digitizing this particular image turned out to not be scanning at all. So here's the answer for if someone finds themself with the same questions I had:
- For some photos (like this one) you can obtain better results by using a stand and a professional camera in a photo studio to make a photo of the photo.
- After that, you can sharpen the image a little using photoshop filters, don't overdo it however cause it can lead to an "artificial" looking result
- 5x enlargement (which I thought impossible) actually turned out rather nice.
- Most professional portrait fotographers with a studio should be able to do this for you. (as opposed to your average dutch highstreet chain passpord photo shop, they have neither the equipment nor the expertise)
Originally by user70513. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70513
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If the negative is gone, the print is your source, so the goal is to capture it as cleanly as possible and then make only modest corrections.
Based on the experience shared here, a flatbed scan is not always the best option. For some prints, better results can come from re-photographing the photo using a good camera on a copy stand or in a studio with controlled lighting. That can reduce issues like scanner softness or surface reflections when done properly.
After capture, mild sharpening in editing software can help, but keep it subtle—too much makes the image look artificial very quickly. You can improve the look somewhat, but you cannot truly recover detail that isn’t present in the original print.
A surprisingly large enlargement may still look good; in this case, about a 5× enlargement turned out well.
For professional help, look for a portrait photographer or studio that has proper camera equipment, controlled lighting, and retouching experience. Ask whether they can photograph prints for reproduction and perform careful restoration/sharpening. A typical passport-photo or high-street quick-print shop is less likely to have the equipment or expertise for the best result.
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