Browse categories
English
$
USD
Connect to your AI
I will clean scanned pdfs and documents, removing dark shadows and gray areas
Eric E
About this gig
Do you have scanned PDFs or documents with dark shadows, gray areas or dirty margins? They're hard to read and waste ink/toner when you print them?
I specialize in cleaning scanned documents using Python and Linux tools - not manual Photoshop retouching. This gives consistent, precise results even for large multi-page PDFs.
I'm a computational social scientist and have processed thousands of scans, building scripts that automatically remove common scanning artifacts.
What do I do:
- Reduce or remove dark shadows at edges, spine and corners
- Lighten gray areas and smudges so pages look cleaner
- Improve contrast so text is easier to read
- Work from PDFs or image files and return cleaned PDFs or images
Why this beats manual editing:
- Same quality on every page, no human inconsistency
- Batch processing: dozens or hundreds of pages quickly
- Better readability and less wasted ink/toner
Ideal for students, researchers, archivists and anyone with scanned books, articles or reports. This gig focuses on text documents, not general photo retouching.
Delivery style preference
Please inform the freelancer of any preferences or concerns regarding the use of AI tools in the completion and/or delivery of your order.
Get to know Eric E
Eric E
algorithmic scan cleaning,document post processing, image processing
- FromMongolia
- Member sinceOct 2025
Languages
English, Russian, Japanese, French
I'm a researcher with a PhD working in computational social science. I specialize in automating data cleaning and processing using Python and Linux. My experience includes large-scale data analysis, web scraping, visualization, and agent-based modeling. I apply the same reproducible and precise approach to cleaning scanned documents — removing shadows and yellow backgrounds, and preparing files for OCR and print. My work combines academic precision with practical efficiency, focusing on reproducible, high-quality results that make your data cleaner, clearer, and ready for analysis or print.
FAQ
Why is algorithmic processing better than Photoshop?
Algorithmic processing is done automatically using Python and Linux tools. All pages are cleaned under the same rules — with no manual editing or human error. This ensures consistent quality and saves a significant amount of time.
Will the final result look as clean as a book page?
The quality depends on the original scan. Very poor copies (for example, copies of already bad copies) may not be fully improved. However, in most cases, the result becomes much cleaner, clearer, and comfortable to read.
Can I send scans where one image contains multiple pages?
Yes, you can send scans that contain one or two pages (a standard book spread). However, if a single image contains more than two pages or very small miniaturized pages, the cleaning will be less accurate. Please avoid combining many pages into one image.
What if I need to clean more than 50 pages?
If you have more than about 50 pages, please contact me to discuss a custom order.
What does a revision of the order mean?
A revision means making small adjustments (for example, stronger cleaning, changing file format, or rearranging page order). It does not mean reprocessing the entire document from scratch.
Why is the cleaned file larger than the original?
After processing, the files may become larger because the image quality and clarity are improved. I always try to maintain a good balance between file size and text readability.
Can I have an extra fast delivery?
The delivery days mentioned in the tiers represent the maximum time required for cleaning and delivering your scans. However, if your scans are not heavily damaged, most orders are typically completed before the maximum time.
Can I buy multiple Basic packages to clean more pages?
Yes, you can multiply the Basic package for larger documents. However, only Basic-level processing will be applied to all pages. Any additional services included in higher tiers (Standard or Premium) will not be applied. For more advanced options, please contact me for a custom offer.
Do you remove watermarks?
I do not remove or modify watermarks or alter official/legal documents.
Can you charge per page?
No. Prices are based on processing time and batch setup, not individual pages.
