Updated October 7, 2026

Tips for animating an old photo

The result depends mostly on the photo you start with. A sharp, well-lit face that fills a good part of the frame gives the most natural animation. Here is how to prepare your photo in five minutes.

1. Scan it properly

A flatbed scanner at 600 dpi is ideal. With a phone, take the photo out of its album sleeve to avoid reflections, place it flat in daylight near a window, turn off the flash and hold the phone parallel to the print. A free scanning app that straightens the edges helps.

2. Crop around the person

The animation works on the face. Crop so that the face takes up a good part of the image: on a full-length portrait, keep the head and shoulders. The more pixels the face has, the more natural the movement.

3. Choose the right photo

A face looking roughly toward the camera, with visible eyes, gives the best results. Profiles and faces partly hidden by a hat brim or a hand are harder.

4. Damaged prints

Creases, stains and faded corners do not matter much. If a scratch or a tear crosses the face itself, restore it first: many free tools can repair a scratch.

5. Black and white or color

Both work. You can animate a black and white photo as it is; colorizing it first is a matter of taste.

6. Group photos

Crop one person at a time. Each crop becomes its own animation.

Animate a photo on Incarn First animation free to preview, then from €1.99 per photo. No subscription.

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