Issue 15.16
Scanning your old family photographs is inexpensive and simple. Once you have digital copies, you can organize them, restore them and share them. Using genealogy software, you can add photos to your family files. You may also share photos via email or post them on Facebook or other photo-sharing websites. You could also have prints made for display while keeping the originals safely stored away out of the light.
If you have digitally stored your photographs, if something should happen to an original photo, digital copies in multiple locations serve as a backup. There are just a few steps to get started scanning your pictures.
You will need a computer and a scanner to scan your old family photos. Scanners are inexpensive now and most include a USB port so they can communicate with any computer. Even low-end computers are powerful enough to handle most photo-editing tasks. You might need extra memory and hard disk storage space. An external hard drive is an option, or storing photos “in the cloud” on a website is also an option. You could just get memory sticks, USB drive and store them there. Most scanners come with basic photo management software, but you could use other program such as Google’s Picasa.
Get ready, some people like to wear white cotton gloves to handle their photos, but that makes it difficult to pick them up. It is ok not to wear gloves, as long as your hands are clean and free of dirt and oils and dry. Handle the photos, negatives, documents by touching only the edges. Remove any paper clips, rubber pants, string or staples and try to preserve the images. Keep the scanner glass clean.
Check the settings on your scanner when you get started. Scan them in color, not in grayscale, even if they are black and white or sepia. This results in a larger file but it gives you more options for improving them if you edit. Choose a high resolution. It takes longer, but use at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) so you can reprint the picture. If you want to enlarge, choose an even higher resolution. Choose TIFF format for optimal image quality.
For more information, contact Shanna Jones shannasjones@Msn.com https://www.ssj.myitworks.com