Restoring old newspaper photos
A newspaper photo is not a photograph but a pattern of printed dots on cheap paper. Reduce the dot pattern first, then restore what is left, and look for the original print if the picture matters.
Why newspaper photos look the way they do
Newspapers print photographs as halftones: a grid of tiny dots of varying size that read as grey from a distance. Enlarge one and the dots appear; photograph it with a phone and the dot grid can clash with the camera sensor to produce a wavy moiré pattern. The newsprint itself yellows and turns brittle quickly, and text printed on the back shows through the thin paper.
Getting a good capture
- Lay the clipping flat under a sheet of glass, with a sheet of black paper behind it to stop the reverse side showing through
- Shoot a little further back than you would for a photo and crop afterwards; slightly smaller dots produce less moiré
What to run, and in what order
Run Restore Old Photos, which smooths the halftone dots into continuous tone while rebuilding contrast, then Restore Faces if the picture is a portrait. Expect a softer result than a real photograph: the dot screen recorded much less detail than the original print did.
The tool for this is Restore old photos.
What to expect
Partly fixable. The dot pattern and yellowing improve well and faces become recognisable. Fine detail was never in the newspaper print, so it cannot come back sharply.
Practical notes
- Ask the newspaper or a local archive whether the original photographic print survives; it will be far better than any clipping
- Newspaper photos are usually still under copyright: fine for family use, but get permission before publishing one
- Store the clipping in an acid-free sleeve, away from other photos, as newsprint acid migrates
Questions
How do I get rid of the dots in a newspaper photo?
The dots are the halftone screen used to print it. A restoration pass smooths them into continuous tone. Capturing the clipping from slightly further away also reduces the moiré pattern a phone can add.
Can I get the original of an old newspaper photo?
Sometimes. Newspapers and local archives often kept photographic prints or negatives. Contact the paper or the archive holding its records; an original print is far sharper than any clipping.
Going deeper
How to unpixelate an image explains the method behind this, including what it cannot fix.