The Complete Guide to Scanning Old Family Photos
Everything you need to know — written by Neil Rhodes, professional photo restorer. Over 20 years’ experience. Trusted by Channel 4, Channel 5, the Royal Navy, and thousands of UK families.
Written by Neil Rhodes
Neil has been digitising old photos professionally since 2003. In that time he has scanned tens of thousands of originals — including a single customer collection of 4,500 prints, a 49×39-inch oil painting on loan from the Royal Navy, and a rare 1880s book of photographs from Istanbul that became an 80,000-pixel-wide panorama of Constantinople once scanned, stitched, and colourised.
His archival restoration work has appeared on Channel 4 and Channel 5. He has worked with historians, genealogists, authors, museums, and publishers across the UK.
Every guide on this page comes from that direct experience — not research, not aggregated advice.
If you have old family photos and you’re not sure where to start, this is for you
This page is the central resource for everything scanning-related at Image Restore. It does not try to cover everything itself. Instead, it points you directly to the right guide for your specific situation — whether you are scanning a single faded print or working through an inherited collection of thousands.
Use the section links below to find what you need. Each one leads to a full, detailed guide written by Neil from professional experience.
Three steps for that perfect scan
Before diving into the specific guides below, these three rules apply to every scan regardless of equipment, photo size, or subject matter. Get these right and you will avoid the most common mistakes Neil sees from customers every week.
Step 1 – Always scan in colour, even for black and white photos.
A colour scan captures three channels of information. A greyscale scan captures one. Even a black and white photo contains subtle tonal variations that a colour scan preserves and a greyscale scan permanently discards. This is one of the most commonly ignored rules and one of the most consequential.
Step 2 – Save as TIFF, not JPEG.
JPEG compression discards image data to reduce file size. That loss is permanent and cannot be recovered by any restoration process. TIFF saves everything the scanner captures. Your files will be large at this the point.
Step 3 – Turn off all automatic enhancements.
Sharpening, colour correction, and backlight adjustment turn them all off. These settings apply irreversible changes that give a restorer less to work with, not more. Scan raw, let the professional make the corrections.
Quick Scanning DPI Reference
Small wallet 1200DPI TIFF
Standard (6×4″, 7×5″) 600 DPI TIFF
Large (10×8″, A4) 300–400 DPI TIFF
Very large (A3+, poster) 300 DPI JPEG max quality
Neil’s full scanning guides
Each guide below covers one specific topic in full detail — click through to the one that matches your situation.
New to scanning? Start with the simple 3-step guide
If you just need to know how to scan a photo correctly before sending it for restoration, this is the page you want. Equipment, settings, and saving all in one short practical guide.
7 steps to better scans from an all-in-one printer/scanner
Not everyone has a dedicated flatbed scanner — and that’s fine. If you’re using a combined printer/scanner, these seven steps will get you much better results from the hardware you already own, without spending a penny on new equipment.
Scanning photos that are too large for your scanner
Panoramas, school photographs, and large formal portraits are often wider than a standard flatbed’s glass. This guide covers the multi-pass scanning and stitching process that allows you to capture oversized originals as a single seamless image — including the software tools that make stitching straightforward.
How to scan a photo that is stuck to glass
It’s more common than you’d think — condensation inside a picture frame can bond a print to the glass over time. The good news is you almost never need to peel it off. This guide covers cleaning the glass safely, avoiding the moiré pattern when scanning through glass, and getting a sharp scan despite the extra focus distance — plus why it happens in the first place
Batch scanning: how to scan hundreds or thousands of photos
Facing an inherited collection of hundreds of prints across multiple decades? The right approach is to plan the job before you start, not as you go. Neil’s batch scanning guide covers organisation, settings, naming conventions, and quality control — everything that separates a manageable project from a chaotic one.
Scanning software: Vuescan vs Canon IJ Utility compared
The software you use to drive your scanner matters almost as much as the scanner itself — especially if you need to scan multiple photos in a single session. Neil tests both applications head-to-head with a video demonstration, so you can see exactly which performs better for batch work before spending money.
Case study: scanning a 49-inch painting for the Royal Navy
A 49×39-inch oil painting of Admiral Vernon, on loan from the Royal Navy, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. No standard method. No room for error. Neil documents exactly how he planned and executed the scan — a masterclass in extreme scanning for anyone facing an oversized or irreplaceable original.
No scanner? How to photograph old photos with your smartphone
A flatbed scanner is always the better option — but if you genuinely cannot access one, a smartphone can produce a workable image if you follow the right steps. Neil’s guide covers camera settings, lighting, angle, and the common mistakes that turn a salvageable phone capture into an unusable one.
Don’t want to scan yourself? Neil’s professional scanning service handles everything.
Neil has handled single scanning projects of over 4,500 prints, as well as collections of 35mm negatives, glass plate negatives, medium format film, panoramas, and oversized originals. Every item is individually placed and optimised — nothing goes through an automated feeder. Prices start at £1.65 per print.
If you have a large, fragile, or awkward collection — or you simply don’t have the time — this is the practical alternative.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DPI for scanning old photos?
For standard 6×4″ or 7×5″ prints, use 600 DPI. For small prints such as passport or wallet sizes, use 1200 DPI. For large prints (10×8″ or A4), 300–400 DPI is sufficient. The correct DPI depends on the physical size of the original — higher is not always better.
Should I scan old photos in colour or black and white?
Always scan in colour, even for black and white photos. A colour scan captures three channels of information, preserving tonal variations and ageing tones that a greyscale scan permanently discards. This gives a restorer more to work with.
Should I save scanned photos as TIFF or JPEG?
Save as TIFF whenever possible. TIFF is uncompressed and preserves every detail the scanner captures. JPEG compression permanently discards image data to reduce file size that any restoration process cannot recover.
Can I use my phone to scan old photos?
A phone camera is not a substitute for a flatbed scanner — phones produce uneven lighting, inconsistent focus, and far less detail than a flatbed. If you have no alternative, Neil’s guide to scanning old photos with your smartphone covers how to get the best possible result from your phone camera. If you cannot scan at all, Neil’s professional scanning service allows you to post your originals directly to him.
How do I scan a photo that is too large for my scanner?
Scan the photo in overlapping sections each section should overlap the next by at least 20%. Then use free stitching software such as Microsoft Image Composite Editor or GIMP to join the sections into a seamless image. Neil’s full guide to scanning large photos covers the process step by step.
What causes lines running down my scanned photos?
Vertical lines (tramlines) are usually caused by dust or damage on the scanner’s sensor array, or a dirty calibration strip inside the scanner body. Clean the white calibration strip with a lint-free cloth and rescan. If the lines persist, the scanner’s sensor may need servicing.
How long does it take to scan 1,000 old photos?
On a flatbed scanner, including preparation, quality checking, and file management, scanning 1,000 photos typically takes 40–60 hours spread over several weeks. Neil’s professional scanning service completes the same job faster, with individually optimised results guaranteed.
What is the best file format for long-term photo archiving?
TIFF is the archival standard — uncompressed, widely supported, and readable by any image software. Store your archive on at least two separate locations: an external hard drive and a cloud service. A file that exists in only one place is not truly archived.