| Scanning Steps & Tips
1. Before scanning, make sure the scanner glass is clean and the
slides/negatives/photographs are dust-free.
2. When you first set up your software, you will usually be asked where you would like to
save the files. Make a mental note of this location.
3. When handling slides or negatives, touch only the negative’s edges. Finger oils
leave unwanted fingerprints, but can be avoided by using inexpensive, lint-free darkroom
gloves found at any photo store.
4. Place the negative, negative/slide holder, or picture on the glass and confirm the
scanner is set to scan the correct medium (negative/positive/photograph).
5. Set the image resolution. This defines the quality of your final image. Choose 72 dpi
(dots per inch) if the scan will only be used on a computer. It's the highest resolution
visible on a computer screen. Choose 300 dpi If you may make prints later or plan on
enlarging the image (this is a good base for making prints whose final size will be the
same as the original photo). And if you plan on printing enlargements, 600 dpi or higher
is necessary to ensure the final picture is not grainy or pixelated. The high-resolution
drawback: Giant file sizes ranging from 18 to hundreds of megabytes will eat up hard-drive
storage space.
6. Click “Preview” to see a preliminary copy of the scan on the screen. If the
image looks good, click “Accept” or “Scan” (each software package uses
different terminology) which will then digitize the image and save the picture to the
destination directory.
7. After you’ve completed your scans, create a system to organize and sort the files.
There’s no perfect system! But, try saving the files in folders related to subject or
date. Then, create subfolders labeled to explain what each contains. You’re going to
have a lot of pictures, so the better organization and labeling, the easier the retrieval!
Attaching captions to images is another useful way to keep them organized.
8. Backup all picture scans in multiple locations. Burn images onto a CD. Create
duplicates. And, save files onto an external hard drive. Also consider keeping copies of
backups in different locations.
Retouch & Refine
1. Post-scanning, open the photo file in the image editing software (see software options
below) to make corrections.
2. Key adjustments for improving picture quality include: levels (the vibrancy of the
image), image contrast, brightness, and color correction (especially important when
printing). Sharpening is another useful tool that improves blurry or fuzzy images.
3. Adobe Photoshop and Paint Shop offer a great tool called layers. It displays duplicate
layers on an image which allow you to switch between the original scan and touched-up
layer to see the image’s progress. If you dislike your work, it’s easy to trash
the layer and start over without opening and closing the file.
4. As you’re working with an image, create duplicate files to ensure you have a
backup of the original scan. As you’re working, save your work frequently. If you
accidentally save the original scanned file, you’ll have to rescan the image to start
over.
Scanning Software
Most scanners include basic scanning software that produces satisfactory scans. For
advanced scanning, this software can markedly improve your final scans.
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