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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> so, how do YOU take a picture of a picture
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Showing posts 1 - 14 of 14, (reverse)
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12/23/2015 07:49:27 PM · #1
This afternoon, I dragged out an album of 20+ year-old prints, stuck a point-n-shoot over a couple of them, and snapped away.
After a few maneuvers (levels, curves, and because I could, Niks viveza 2) I came to the end of my know-how.
The yellow remained. ( Yes, I know that's a joke in context of one of the threads now under consideration.)

But, more or less seriously, how do you take a picture of a picture?
Exhibits A and B are below.

and
12/23/2015 07:57:47 PM · #2
The best way is to use a scanner. Next best is to use a "cop stand" which positions the camera above the subject on a table, and usually lit from both sides. You can also position the picture on a wall and use a tripod.

Most important is to get the sensor plane parallel to and centered over the subject. Set a custom white balance. Make sure it can focus at a focal length which will avoid any lens distortion.

If you have a ton of photos you want to digitize you might consider one of the services which will scan a large number of photos (hundreds?)for a fixed price.

Or get/borrow a scanner ... I have some but they are probably too old to work with your computer ... :-(
12/23/2015 08:42:27 PM · #3
Um, yeah, I have a scanner. But it lives (and dies) by the Peter Principle. It's a horizontal surface, upon which reside layers of documents and detritus.
by the time this pile is unpacked, the impulse has wandered off.

So, yours is elegant, but I'm still looking for a quick and easy solution.
12/23/2015 08:51:28 PM · #4
I am not the photoshop kind of person but there is this lady who lives in my neighborhood and she does a wonderful job of restoring old photos. I am sure photoshop get involved here:

12/23/2015 09:16:21 PM · #5
Originally posted by sfalice:

So, yours is elegant, but I'm still looking for a quick and easy solution.

My scanners aren't working either (partly for the same reasons) ...

Put the photos on the floor or a board on a level chair so you can position the camera directly over the center of the picture. You may be able to maneuver your tripod to hold the camera pointing straight down. Light from both sides as evenly as you can without creating glare (ideally have the lamps/light sources at about a 30° angle). Set WB, frame, focus, and shoot away ...

12/23/2015 10:28:34 PM · #6
Wow, that is helpful. Thank you very much.
12/23/2015 10:35:58 PM · #7
They make copy stands designed for this purpose -- or you might be able to modify on old (discarded?) enlarger to make one if you plan to shoot a lot -- it's basically an enlarger operating "in reverse" ...
12/23/2015 11:15:54 PM · #8
B&H have a LOT of copystands for sale, some very elaborate. Here they are listed in reverse order of price. If nothing you're shooting is bigger than 6x6, you can get a stanbd for around 25 bucks from them. Simple but adequate. I haven't looked elsewhere.

//www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c0&ci=711&setNs=p_PRICE_2%7c0&N=3715154809&srtclk=sort

12/24/2015 10:07:04 AM · #9
Also,Amazon sells these, which are daylight balanced, and really useful for lighting things without breaking the bank.
12/25/2015 10:36:11 AM · #10
I always do this on the floor using daylight.
12/25/2015 11:29:52 AM · #11
This is all great advice. Big help, for sure!
12/25/2015 01:01:19 PM · #12
Alice,

I sent you a pm.

Ken
12/25/2015 02:01:38 PM · #13
Originally posted by kawesttex:

Alice,

I sent you a pm.

Ken


And your advice on how to 'get the yellow out' was fantastic. Just what I needed!

Alice
After visiting further with Kawesttex who said it was fine to post his advice online, here's one way to solve the problem of an old/faded photo:

He took my yellowed image: and applied some fixes (see below) and came up with this:

Ken says: " My solution to that is go to (PE11) Enhance, Adjust Color, Remove color cast, and put the pointer on an area that should be white. "
Now I have CS5, and by using earlier controls, (Color balance/ hue & saturation / etc) I actually came pretty close to his corrected copy. Yes, big help.

Message edited by author 2015-12-25 15:01:18.
12/28/2015 11:35:32 PM · #14
Been a long time since I did this, but put the pictures on a bed, very large picture window on one side, allowed me to position camera over pictures without getting a shadow on them. Other concerns are glare / reflection on the surface of the photograph, or patterns (like from leaves, translucent curtain panels - folds or patterns). The advantage of the bed was the pictures stayed put, and were closer to the camera than on the floor.
I've had mixed results with using a scanner, but it does eliminate a number of potential issues.
You can use perspective correction if the camera isn't directly over the pictures and they have a trapezoidal thing going on.
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