Scanning Photographs

[James Aldrich]

Does anyone else get a noise, speckle effect when you scan a photo. The only time I get this effect is when I scan a photograph that was printed from department store photo labs. The clear coat that is applied to the photo has a textured patern to it. When the light from the scanner hits it it causes a noise like effect. I have tried scanning from 100dpi to 600dpi, and with two different scanners. I get same results. I have even photographed the picture with a digital camera, with the same outcome. Is there a way to prevent this? When I englarge the photo, the noise effects also enlarge.
Thanks
Jim

[Rodne Gold]

In your scanning software , you should have fixes for this , however the first thing to check is that Unsharp mask or ANY sharpening the scanner applies is OFF

[James Aldrich]

Thanks Rodne,
Ill check my scanner settings. I have an old HP 4c scanner and a Lexmark all-in-one. I get the same outcome from both.
Jim

[Jason Lippert]

If the photo itself has a matte or textured finish this most likely the cause. If the photo came from a professional photographer this definitely the problem. This is done to keep people from making cheap copies at Wal Mart. Of course if you know Photoshop well enough you work around just about anything. Try a despeckle filter, also dust and scratches.

[Rodne Gold]

The cheapest thing I have EVER seen , was when on a cruise. The cruise ship takes pics of you and post em all on big displays , you can buy one if you want it for like $5 or so. On formal nights on a cruise , they have pros on board with portable studios and take some wonderful portraits.
I saw a fellow cruiser take his pic down , lay it flat and take a digipic of it!!!!!!!!!!

[Larry Bratton]

Rodne:
Hehehe! Some folks just like the creative process!! :)

[Larry Bratton]

James:
I don't know if you use Corel PhotoPaint or not, but under Effects/ Noise you can remove noise, tune noise etc etc etc. I use that filter all the time and it works for me.

[James Aldrich]

Thanks everyone.
The pictures are printed (on a Fuji printer) at wal-mart and other department stores. They do have a texture coating on them. I have tried many of the photoshop and photopaint filters. They blur the image to remove the noise, then when I sharpen the image there back. I have had good results using the "Soap" program with the healing brush.
Thanks again
Jim

[Bill Cunningham]

Kodak makes a special paper for prof. Photogs. A lot of the 'glamour' shot photographers, (where they do the makeup, and dress em up reeel purty like..) use this paper.. On the back of the paper along with the Kodak watermark, is another watermark that says NOT TO BE COPIED.. and the damn stuff won't copy without a glaring halo and scattered light.. sometimes it's so much work to get rid of the scatter junk it's not work trying to use the photo.. I usually tell my customers to bring me a 'glossy' pic.. Even if the textured paper does not scatter the light, you are also scanning the texture, and if you have to enlarge the picture you also enlarge the texture which degrades the final output..

[Mike Mackenzie]

Rodne,

Thanks for the great tip on taking a digital picture of another one. I had to reproduce a photo of someone who has passed away and the only picture this person had was on the cover of a brochure. I tried to scan it several ways and could not get the picture to come out right.

I then read your post and tried it and it worked perfectly "GOOD TIP":) :)