Help guide

Photograph old photos without glare using your phone

Glare from glass, glossy paper, or ceiling lights can ruin a smartphone scan. Use these lighting setups and camera tips to capture a clearer source image. Restoration cannot guarantee recovery of detail that glare has hidden.

By My Restored Photo editorial team

Published May 15, 2025 · Updated September 5, 2026 · 5 min read

Once glare-free photos are ready, upload them to My Restored Photo and choose a credit pack that matches your project.

Why glare shows up

Reflections happen when light bounces into your lens. Glossy prints and framed artwork act like mirrors. Reducing glare is all about redirecting the light so it reflects away from the camera.

Overhead lights produce hot spots because they sit almost directly above the photo.
Phone flash typically causes bright circles since it sits close to the lens.
Window light at eye level can work well, but a clear sky can still create reflections if the photo lies flat.

Lighting setups that stop reflections

The 45-degree window method

Place the photo on a table near a bright window.
Rotate the print so the window light hits from the side at roughly a 45-degree angle.
Keep the phone parallel to the print. Adjust the light or the print's position without casting your shadow across it.
Take a test shot, zoom in, and adjust until the glare disappears.

Two-lamp cross lighting

Ideal for nighttime or rooms without natural light.

Position two lamps of equal brightness at opposite sides of the photo, both pointed toward it at 45-degree angles.
Use lamps with their intended shades or photographic lights with manufacturer-approved diffusers. Do not cover bulbs with paper or fabric.
Hold your phone directly above the print and keep it parallel to the surface.
Check the preview and shift the lamps slightly if you see streaks or bright bands.

Photographing framed photos on a wall

Move the frame to a wall opposite a large window with indirect light.
Turn off overhead fixtures and remove any nearby standing lamps.
Step to the side so your phone is angled about 5 to 10 degrees away from the frame. This keeps your reflection out of the glass.
Check for perspective distortion. Cropping removes the border; it does not correct converging edges. Keep the original capture and adjust perspective on a copy if needed.

These setups are starting points for the normal camera app. If reflections persist, try PhotoScan's guided glare removal and follow Google's PhotoScan instructions. Its flash guidance differs from single-shot camera photography. Do not pull a photograph free if it is stuck to glass or an album.

Camera settings for clear smartphone scans

In the normal camera app, turn off the flash to avoid reflections near the lens. Follow the app's own guidance when using a multi-image glare-removal mode.
Use the highest resolution option in your camera settings or scanning app for extra detail.
Enable grid lines to keep the phone aligned and reduce perspective distortion.
Tap to focus on a face or an area with fine detail, then slightly increase exposure if the preview looks dark.
Use the self-timer or a remote shutter to avoid motion blur when you press the button.

Polish the photo before upload

Keep an untouched capture, then make any adjustments on a separate copy so you can compare the result with the source.

Straighten and crop in your phone's editor to remove background clutter.
Adjust white balance if the image looks too cool or warm. Aim for natural skin tones.
Save as JPEG, PNG, or WebP to match My Restored Photo upload requirements.

Upload to My Restored Photo and review the result

A clearer capture gives restoration a better source to work with. New accounts receive one free credit, and the first AI retry is included. The editor shows any additional retry cost. Processing time varies, and AI can introduce plausible detail that was not in the original. Read about restoration limits before processing an irreplaceable photograph.

Restore your photo now

About these guides

My Restored Photo editorial team

Our guides use AI-assisted drafting and a separate automated review of sources, product claims and presentation. My Restored Photo is responsible for the published content. These articles do not represent a named specialist's personal experience.

Read our editorial approach