Scanning old print with plastic protector

[mabman]

I'm attempting to scan some old family prints with a V600. 1 of these prints is a wedding photo from the late 1940s/early 1950s that is B&W with hand-coloured elements. It is in a paperboard frame that is completely intact, which is glued together. However, it is also covered with some kind of plastic/cellophane protective sheet, which is somehow glued into the frame itself.

This plastic sheet is highly reflective, and is making scanning difficult - I keep getting purple reflection/glare streaks across various parts of the photo, including people's faces. Even converting to black & white, the glare streaks are still evident. I've tried to correct in Photoshop Elements post-scanning, but due to the location and extent of the glare streaks, this is quite difficult to correct.

I would rather not dismantle the paper frame itself, as it is one of the few examples that is completely intact (I realize the frame is elevating the print slightly off the glass so the focus may be somewhat soft doing it this way). I don't have a digital camera/softbox/polarizer setup to do it any other way.

Does anyone have any scanning suggestions to get around the glare issue, or am I out of luck?

Thanks!

 

[jeffreyg]

You could try taking a photograph of the print with lights on both sides of it at 45 degree angles to the print. If you are using a digital camera (borrowed or even a cell phone camera) then no scan would be needed. If film, the setup would be the same. Lighting is easy even with clamp on bulb sockets/reflectors available in hardware stores.

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[glhs116]

Place two flashes either side facing down at 45 degrees and photograph with digital camera from directly above using only those two external flashes. You should get no glare.

Sam

 

[jeffreyg]

You could try taking a photograph of the print with lights on both sides of it at 45 degree angles to the print. If you are using a digital camera (borrowed or even a cell phone camera) then no scan would be needed. If film, the setup would be the same. Lighting is easy even with clamp on bulb sockets/reflectors available in hardware stores.

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[L Gebhardt]

If the plastic is wavy you may still get glare, even with the lights at 45 degrees.

Try to stretch the plastic protector sheet flat. Scotch tape can work for this (but may also rip the cellophane). Attach one end of the tape just outside the image area and pull a bit to tension the plastic, then tape to the outside of the frame. I use this method to get drum scanner overlays to lay flat over the film and it works well.

 

[Alan Klein]

Does anyone make a flat sheet of polarizing material? Maybe that would cut the glare.

 

[OzJohn]

Does anyone make a flat sheet of polarizing material? Maybe that would cut the glare.

Sheets of pola material can be purchased from theatrical lighting suppliers but it's pretty costly. OzJohn

 

[mabman]

If the plastic is wavy you may still get glare, even with the lights at 45 degrees.

Try to stretch the plastic protector sheet flat. Scotch tape can work for this (but may also rip the cellophane). Attach one end of the tape just outside the image area and pull a bit to tension the plastic, then tape to the outside of the frame. I use this method to get drum scanner overlays to lay flat over the film and it works well.

Now that I look at it, the plastic is, in fact, wavy/warped somewhat. I will have to try some tape.

Thanks for all your suggestions so far!