Some of my favourite funeral Order of Service booklets are the ones that give families space to include lots of photographs of their loved one and tell a story of their life from childhood right up until they died. Families tell me there is something so comforting in the nostalgia of looking back at old photographs, and for people at the funeral seeing childhood photographs or wedding photographs often gives them a chance to see the person they love in a way they’ve never experienced them first hand.
But in the days before digital images, photographs were hard copy, produced from negatives and polaroids. They can be small photos, black and white photos, sepia photos, even creased or damaged photos. But very few people have a scanner at home and the pictures are so precious that the idea of putting them in the post for them to be scanned here feels far too big a risk to take. So families ask me “Can I take photos of the photos?” – and the answer is of course, YES.
It is important though to make sure that you take photos of photos in the best way, to get the best quality results. Here are my top tips for making sure they come out brilliantly.
1. Remove your photograph from its frame or album
Before you take the photo, it is wise to remove it from its frame or album first. This is to avoid the reflection on the film or glass showing on the new image.
2. Use Natural light
The UK weather is very unreliable for sourcing good natural light for pictures, but even on a gloomy day it is much better to take the photo in natural light than artificial. Artificial lights will change the colours of your image and making everything appear yellowy. Turn off lights and lamps and get close to a door or window, in an area free from shadows.
3. Use a flat surface
Place the photo you want to photograph on a flat surface, in the well lit, non-shadowed area you’ve identified. Don’t be tempted to hold the photo in your hand whilst you photograph it, or hold it upright. This could cause a blur or warping which will be hard to correct digitally.
4. Hold the camera directly above
Move your camera so that you are holding it directly above the photo, square on, and far enough away so as not to cause a shadow over it. Be careful not to take photos of photos from a lower or sideways angle as this will warp the proportions of the people inside the photo and be difficult to correct. Don’t worry if the surface that the photo is lying on is in view – this can easily be cropped out.
5. I’ll do the rest!
Take your photo and upload it to the file link I’ve given you. From here, I crop and straighten it, adjust the lighting and re-touch it to show it off to its best.
Hopefully this helps you to take photos of photos, but if you’ve got any questions then just get in touch! So many families use this method for their old photographs and it gives great results so don’t be afraid to try it! Ultimately though, it is amazing what can be done in Photoshop so just do your best and we will do the rest.
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