How to Photograph Old Prints Without Glare or Reflections

Glare is the number one problem when capturing photos with a phone: a bright white patch over a face, a reflection of the ceiling light or your own silhouette in a glossy print. Once glare is in the capture, the detail underneath is lost. Fortunately it's easy to prevent.

Why glare happens

Glossy surfaces reflect light like a mirror. If a light source (window, lamp, ceiling light, even a bright wall) is at the "mirror angle" relative to your camera, you see its reflection. Change the angle of the light or the camera and the reflection moves out of frame.

The basic setup

1. Turn off overhead lights. They're almost always at the mirror angle when you shoot straight down.
2. Use side light: a window to one side, or two lamps at about 45° on either side of the photo.
3. Diffuse the light: a sheer curtain, a white sheet or lampshade softens it.
4. Shoot straight down with the phone parallel to the photo.

Tricks for stubborn reflections

• Black card around the phone: cut a hole for the lens. It stops the phone and your hands from being reflected.
• Wear dark clothing: light shirts reflect too.
• Tilt slightly: tilt the photo a few degrees and correct the perspective later in Photos.
• Two captures: if glare is on the left in one shot, move the light and capture again; use whichever is clean (some scanning apps combine multiple shots automatically).
• Polarizing filter: a polarizer on the lens and polarizing film on the lights (cross-polarization) eliminates glare almost entirely. It's what museums use, and clip-on versions exist for phones.

Textured and silk-finish prints

Many prints from the 1960s–80s have a textured "silk" or "pebble" finish that scatters light into tiny sparkles. Soft, diffuse, low-angle light from two sides minimizes this. A flatbed scanner handles textured prints well too.

Prints in frames and albums

Glass and plastic overlays reflect strongly. Remove photos from frames if safe; for albums, use the side-light setup and black card (see digitizing photo albums fast).

Can glare be fixed afterwards?

Mild glare (slightly lighter patches) can be corrected with restoration: Refixo restores contrast and evens out tones. But a fully white reflection hides the image completely, so the AI would have to invent what's under it. It's much better to recapture.

Related: scanning photos with iPhone, how to scan old photos.

Frequently asked questions

How do I take a picture of a photo without glare?

Turn off overhead lights, light the photo from the sides at about 45° and hold the phone parallel to it.

Do I need special equipment?

No. A window, a dark cloth and a piece of black card solve most glare. Polarizing filters help with very glossy prints.

Can AI remove glare from a photo?

Mild glare can be reduced. Strong reflections hide the image, so recapturing is better.

Is a scanner better for glossy photos?

Yes. Flatbed scanners light the print evenly and avoid glare by design.