TIL my phone flashlight doubles as a document scanner

I was trying to scan a receipt for my expense report last week and the app kept messing up the text. Then I realized if I hold my phone flashlight at a 45 degree angle over the paper, it kills the shadows and the scan comes out PERFECT every time. No more squinting at bad lighting. Has anyone else figured out a random camera trick that made a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_carr1mo ago

So if you hold it at a 45 degree angle, does that work for any paper surface or just glossy receipts?" I've been fighting with my phone camera trying to get my handwritten notes readable for ages, and shadows are always the issue.

laura_ross1mo ago

Three years of trial and error later, my go to fix is a simple desk lamp positioned about 15 inches away from the paper at a 45 degree angle. It works great for normal paper but glossy receipts will still give you that annoying glare unless you tilt the lamp just right. I once accidentally caught half my face in the shot thinking I nailed the angle, so yeah, shadows are the real enemy here.