If you've been following me , you know that I have been mumbling about scanning photos for some time. So in January 2016 I was ready or so I thought. I have been looking at how things are done and what options there may be. I wanted to be able to send all the photos to my kids as they are photos of them. So I have about 20 years of photos to scan and send.
So one of the first things I learned is that the photos I've been looking at for 40 years are not that great. The old cameras didn't take that great of photo. Sometimes they got lucky and everything was perfect. Photographers (me) didn't know much, so light was the last of things I considered. My wife always had some shake in the photo. Many photos we didn't take. Many photos were of high quality and reproduce well. School photos done be a professional turn out very well.
I did not intend to scan all photos and I've found I've deleted many I scanned.
I wanted to be able to put a caption on each photo. I wrote about this one before.
I had been given lots of advice. Make sure the photo surface is clean. I haven't learned that one yet. I can't see the dust so I go sailing on and guess what, the scanner picks up the dust. Keep your photos square. I'm pretty good at that one.
I've had to do a lot of experimenting. You can set your scanner and then you can do more with the computer. Some photos can be reproduced with a reasonable quality. Other photos, I can't do much with.
So as I go along I learn more. What happens if I click on this? Oh, that's what happens! That makes a big difference. Today I clicked on a sun that's half shaded. I found it adjusted shadow and gave a much sharper image.
Now there's also the issue of practice. Things improve as I move along.
I've sent some photos to the victims and they are very pleased with them. My son commented that they are "awesome."
So guess what? With all I've learned, I've gone back and done many batches of photos over again
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| Must have been Hawaii Day at school!!! |
I see a Magnum PI theme going on.
ReplyDeleteIt could be. There were so many theme days I can't remember.
DeleteIt sounds like you are learning lots via the trial and error process. It also sounds like a great winter project for someone who is laid up. :-)
ReplyDeleteTrial and error is right. there aren't too many details about scanning.
Deletethe photo is too funny! yay for finding the adjust setting!
ReplyDeleteIt is sort of a classic photo!
DeleteWe never stop learning. This is what keeps us young.
ReplyDeleteIf it keeps us young , I better start learning much more!!!~
DeleteIf your son says it is awesome then you should carry on! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I will finish and I will redo things when I find something to improve them with.
DeleteAloha! Love that photo of you in the Hawaiian shirt, he he.
ReplyDeleteNow you must be doing a great job of the scanning if your son says they are 'awesome'. I'm sure your two children know the significant value of this project you are doing for their benefit. At the same time you get to walk down memory lane and learn some new things too.
My kids are 44 and 46 so it's way past time for them to have the photos.
DeleteScanning photos can be a lot of fun, and yes, it's an opportunity to determine which shots you really like and which ones are disposable. I need to work on scanning a lot of my own old pictures. Maybe that will be my next domestic project!
ReplyDeleteI have to finish this because I'd never get back if I stopped.
DeleteI always like it to see the old photo's on the screen. They were always printed in a very small size and suddenly you can see far more details, the faces, the surroundings. I like your Hawai day very much!
ReplyDeleteEnlarging certain produces more detail.
DeleteAll the memories are fun to relive. I haven't scanned many so didn't know you can improve them. I would need that with any my mom took with her Brownie camera.
ReplyDeleteI found some taken by my Mom could not be improved much.
DeleteI have learned to adjust my photos to make them straight. Almost every one I take leans to the right, so I almost always have to adjust them. Must be my head isn't on straight. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, fortunately cropping easily fixes things.
DeleteIt's true that many old photos are not as good as photos taken today. But I doubt your kids are looking for perfect photos. It's the memories they're after. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen you scan , you look at detail and quality. When you look at a photo you look at the subject.
DeleteCool looking Dude there - where is MM's cool outfit. ha,ha There are a number of computer programs that bring life back to olde photos. Sure is fun doing that. Carry on Cool Dude :)
ReplyDeleteCool and nonchalant! I know there are better programs than what I use. This one is a little simpler to transfer from one place to another.
DeleteTwenty years of photos to scan is an ambitious project! Winter is a good time to have a project like that going, especially this year when you can't skate or ski. I'm sure your children and grandchildren will appreciate it and you will be an expert before the project is done!
ReplyDeleteFortunately you can pick and choose so it cuts down on the number.
DeleteLove the picture! :-) Clicking on things and seeing what happens is sometimes the best way to learn. I remember when I started using a scanner. It took me a while to learn what I needed to know. And I'm sure there's much more I need to learn.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of discovery. I've gone back and redone some batches.
DeleteScanning photos is not as easy as it sounds. Photos have to be clean, you have to decide the resolution, some can be a memory hog, you have to be the indexer and the label person, which takes time. Good that you are doing this!!
ReplyDeleteIt took me a long time to figure out the labelling.
DeleteI learned with photos and still learning. I chop square but before that. I make sure to look carefully at what my kids would be interested in. I get scenery but not a lot. I find my kids like us but if it is my friends or too much scenery compared to the family or you and wife. They are not interested unless they know them . Many times my kids will say. We don't know them. Now if it is a school class picture with kids in my class or activity as long as I am in it or my husband it is okay. Good job your doing it now. If you wait any longer. You will forget the event.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about what photos are acceptable.
DeleteWhat a great shoot of you Red:)))))
ReplyDeletePretty cool eh?
DeleteHAHA..I love that photo! Look at you...all cool like that :)
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you are trying stuff and experimenting. That is the best way to learn!
I went through much the same when I converted all my old Ectachrome slides to digital. You learn as you go....:)
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled when I learned how to scan a picture, no matter how it turned out. I love that picture of you too! Very cool! I
ReplyDeleteI have a photo scanner and have been borrowing my parent's old photo albums and scanning my childhood photos.
ReplyDelete