Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/remove-glare-from-photo-scans/ # How to Reduce Glare When Digitizing Glossy Photos Diagnose reflections before editing. Improve camera position and lighting, preserve the original, and recognise when blown-out detail is missing. Scanning & preservation3 min readUpdated 13 September 2026 Quick answer ## The short version If a bright patch is a reflection from capture, retake the image with indirect, repositioned lighting before trying AI repair. A uniformly white clipped area may contain no recoverable image detail; a generated replacement is an interpretation. ## Find out whether the glare is in the source Look at the physical print from several comfortable viewing angles without bending it. If the bright patch moves or disappears as the viewing angle changes, the capture setup is likely recording a reflection. If the pale area remains in the picture itself, you may instead be looking at fading, damage or an overexposed original photograph. This distinction matters. Correcting a capture reflection means obtaining a better source image. Repairing a faded or missing area means editing the information you already have. Applying increasingly strong AI restoration to a poor capture can produce a plausible patch while leaving the avoidable reflection problem unsolved. ## Improve a camera capture before editing Turn off direct flash and avoid a bright window or lamp reflecting straight back into the lens. Try broad indirect light from the sides and keep the camera parallel to the photograph so its rectangular shape remains rectangular. Move the light first rather than tilting the photo until it becomes distorted. Take a test image and inspect dark areas, where reflections can be easy to miss in the live preview. Keep your own shadow and the phone's reflection out of the image. If the print is safe to scan, compare a flatbed capture with the camera version. Do not press, bend, wet or coat the original to control its shine. A photographic copy setup or professional digitisation service may be a better choice for valuable, curled or mounted material. ## Photos behind glass need extra care Glass adds another reflective surface. Do not assume the photograph can safely be removed: it may be attached to the glass or held by a fragile mount. If access requires separating stuck surfaces, stop and consult a conservator. A less perfect digital capture is preferable to damaging the only original. When removal is not appropriate, try a different light position and check for double reflections. Keep the full capture as a reference. Crop only a working copy, and record that the source was photographed through glass so a future editor understands why contrast may be uneven. ## Know when editing becomes reconstruction A mild veil can sometimes be made less distracting by restrained contrast adjustment. A clipped white patch over an eye or signature is different: the capture may not contain the missing information. Compare another scan or another copy of the same photograph first. If you choose AI reconstruction, retain the source and describe the output as restored rather than claiming the reconstructed detail was recovered exactly. ## FAQs Can AI remove every reflection? No. It can sometimes create a plausible replacement, but it cannot guarantee the true detail hidden by a reflection. A new capture is preferable when the physical photo is available. Should I remove a photo stuck to glass? Do not pull it apart. Seek a photograph conservator's advice and work with a capture through the glass in the meantime. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - U.S. National Archives: [Care and handling of photographs]() ## Related - [Choose a scanning resolution]() - [Check the quality of a restoration]() - [Scan old photographs]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Get Started]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo restoration editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.