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Resolving White Dots on Scanned Images When the Original Photo Is Not Printed on Glossy Paper

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Symptom
When scanning photographs or pictures printed on a non-glossy photo paper by a commercial photo printer from a negative, white dots are present on the scanned image.
Cause
White dots or splotches may appear on a scanned image when the original photograph was processed from the original film (negative) and printed by a commercial photo-finisher on a non-glossy photo paper.
Scanning photographs printed on this type of paper can cause the light reflected from the scanner to appear as concentrated white dots or splotches on the scanned image. The issue may appear on matte, luster, and other textured photo papers.
When scanning a photo made with regular glossy photo paper, the scanner captures the light reflected directly from the image being scanned. The other parts of the light are either absorbed or reflected at angles the scanner will not pickup.
When scanning a photo made with a textured paper type, some of the scanned points will concentrate all of the available light to the scanner, producing white or lighter colored groups of dots. The texture of the paper, with hills and valleys, instead of being flat, does not allow for a constant reflection that is capable of accurate processing.
Solutions
Rotate the original image being scanned
Rotate the picture or photograph from a portrait profile to a landscape profile and scan it again or turn it completely around so that it is being scanned upside down. The scanned image can then be rotated using the rotate feature in the HP Scanning software.
Rotating the photograph changes the amount and direction of the light being reflected and significantly reduces the amount of white dots or splotches
Use the transparent material adapter (TMA) to scan the negative
Scan a negative of the picture via the transparent materials adapter (TMA). The TMA uses light shone through the negative instead of using light reflected back from a print. The TMA uses light from an overhead light source to transmit the color data.
Reprint the original on a standard glossy photo paper
Have a new print made from the negative printed on a standard glossy photo paper by a photo finishing business.


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