For an old photograph, a careful scan is often a better starting point than a quick phone picture. A flatbed scanner can keep the print square and avoid the reflections that appear when you photograph a glossy surface.
Handle the original gently. If it is fragile, stuck to glass or fixed into an album, do not pull it free just to scan it. Preserve the physical photograph first.
Prepare the scan
Clean the scanner glass according to its instructions. Remove loose dust from around the work area, but avoid household cleaners or rubbing the photograph itself. Place the print straight on the glass and preview the whole picture before scanning.
Scan in colour even if the original looks monochrome when you want to preserve warm paper tones or a faded tint. You can make a separate black-and-white version later.
Choose resolution for the enlargement
The required scan setting depends on how much larger the new print will be. As a planning example, a 6 × 4 inch photograph scanned at 600 DPI produces approximately 3600 × 2400 pixels. At 12 × 8 inches, that provides 300 PPI; at 18 × 12 inches, it provides 200 PPI, before cropping.
This does not guarantee either size will look sharp. The original print may already contain blur, grain or limited detail. A higher scan setting records more samples; it cannot reveal information that was never present. Use the scanner’s genuine optical capability rather than assuming an interpolated setting adds useful detail.
What does that scan provide at print size?
These examples use the same 6 × 4 inch original and matching 3:2 print proportions, before any crop. The 1200 DPI column assumes the scanner genuinely resolves that optical setting.
| Print front | 600 DPI scan 3600 × 2400 pixels | 1200 DPI scan 7200 × 4800 pixels |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 8 inches | 300 PPI | 600 PPI |
| 18 × 12 inches | 200 PPI | 400 PPI |
| 24 × 16 inches | 150 PPI | 300 PPI |
These are calculations, not promises of sharpness. DPI describes the scanner’s sampling setting; PPI describes how the resulting pixels are spread across the print. Changing a file’s “300 dpi” label does not create detail.
Save an untouched master
Keep a high-quality master scan and create a separate copy for straightening, cropping or colour adjustments. Check faces at full size on screen. Dust, scratches and scanner reflections are much easier to spot before printing.
If you cannot scan the photograph, use even light and hold a camera parallel to it. Avoid flash reflections and retain the full-resolution file.
Finally, choose a canvas proportion that preserves the people and details you care about. See the photo canvas options and check the crop before committing to an enlargement.
Choose the shape before the final crop
A 6 × 4 inch photograph and a 12 × 8 inch canvas share a 3:2 proportion. A square or an A-series size is a different shape and needs a separate decision about cropping or borders. Check every person, hand and important detail before approving the crop.
Mirrored or plain canvas sides can help protect the chosen front composition from wrapping around the frame. They do not bring back detail already cropped away to fit another shape.
Restore carefully, then send the version you prefer
For scratches or fading, read our guide to restoring old photographs. Compare eyes, expressions, hair, clothing and any writing with the untouched scan. A plausible repair can still change something familiar.
A screenshot or compressed messaging-app copy can discard useful detail. Ask for the original scan or photograph and see our guide to sending full-resolution photographs.
When ready, upload your photograph, choose your size and finish, and position it yourself or use studio positioning. Review the crop, sides and complete price before ordering. If you are unsure, contact our workshop with the file and size you have in mind.
