# Developing newspaper photos



## billyfiske (Oct 25, 2013)

I would consider myself a fairly experienced user of Lightroom but as always there is much room for improvement. I am in the planning stage of writing a book. I have been downloading many images from old newspapers and was wondering if anyone had any hints and tips on how to improve the downloaded images. I am not naive and know that a perfect image is impossible but some improvement may make all the difference. An example, of an image is attached. The image size is small, I know there is not much to work with but any ideas would be appreciated.


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## clee01l (Oct 25, 2013)

I would probably not consider this a job for LR.  Probably something that some PS plugin could handle.


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## Effeegee (Oct 25, 2013)

LR is not really the tool for this but I've attached an example of what might be achieved.  The trick for a 'copy shot' with a half toned screened original was to use have the (copy) camera slightly out of focus  because it simulates continuous tone by reducing the original screening effect and then re-screen at a different angle to avoid moire patterns. Working with newsprint is a problem with paper ageing and the rough surface producing impure blacks and dirty whites in addition to the very coarse screen ruling used with letterpress printing.  

Given you have the shots already and that you would prefer to edit non-destructively in LR to work up some presets for speed my suggestionsare convert to B&W, adjust colours to maximise contrast and reduce background colour you are trying to make the small and medium dots merge to rpesent mid tones, reduce clarity - not too much, add lots of noise correction (it's like kicking out of focuus - and play with as much contrast as you can manage with the tone curve contrast control and black and white clipping - if it helps add colour noise reduction.  In the example I added back some grain and split toning with a little lens vignetting. Moire patterns are creeping back in with the grain - so much for random grain patterns.  

Of course the smaller the more convincing they will prove to be but be alert to creating problems when it finally comes to printing,  although current printing technology will have much higher screen rulings. 

It seems you are working jpeg downloads but if you can get to the originals try to minimise the original screening pattern by shooting from further away and slightly out of focus.


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## billyfiske (Oct 26, 2013)

Thanks for the reply, I will give your suggestion a try. The limitation is that these are on-line newspapers and I can only download them as jpegs, so I am kind of stuck with what I have. I know there is no silver bullet but any improvement is a gain. Thanks.


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