Photos Scanned from Books or Textured Paper

Scanned photos from books and other textured papers sometimes leave you with disappointing images. It's hard to say exactly what resolution to recommend. Experiment with various dpi's based on the size you wish the photo could be printed. Editing the original using a blurring technique and some shading might minimize dots or texture enough to gain a print, though it could end up needing to be smaller than you hoped.

What if You Don't Know Everyone in Photograph?

It's great to scan a group photo based on the size you want to print it. Again, printing same size as original--scan at 300dpi; twice the size--scan at 600dpi, etc. However, be sure you take into account it just might contain the only image of a relative you don't readily recognize. If the photo is on loan to you, and you have to return it after scanning, think through your options. A good overall scan plus some detailed scans of individuals really won't take long at all, and may well give you images that prove integral to your family's pictorial history later on. This photo ended up providing us with a couple's only photo from that time in their lives. It also yielded the only picture we have of two sisters together.

Scanning Newspaper Articles in Large Scrapbook Albums

Sometimes these larger albums need to be scanned on "large format" scanners with the ability to accommodate up to 11"x17" originals. If you cannot locate one in your area, check with Family History Libraries which may have just such equipment provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--and the equipment is free to use. Be sure to go through each page of your album before scanning and make note of which articles or items need to be scanned at a higher resolution than the 300dpi used to capture an image of the entire page. If there are small newspaper clippings you would like to see printed in a family history, for instance, decide how large you will be printing the clipping. Maybe you would like it to be printed three times the original's size so that you can clearly see the writing. In that case, scan it at 3x300dpi or 900dpi (which usually doesn't exist as a setting on scanners). So change the dpi to the next higher number in the scanner's list of choices...usually 1200dpi. Set the cropping tool of the scanner around the little clipping and scan at the higher resolution. That gives you an awesome digital item to use and print as a yellowed version or converted to a black and white copy. If you have ever downloaded a newspaper article from the internet and it's very blurry, there's not much that can be done because it wasn't scanned correctly. Now you know!!! And all your scans will be great for others to read!!!

Just too Pink

Does your priceless photo collection contain photos that look a bit too "pink?" There are many ways to handle these items, but never scan them in grayscale mode just to make them black and white again. Grayscale digital files are less cooperative to work with during photo editing than those scanned in color. Scan everything in color mode, even if it makes the pinkish photos look even more ghastly pink as a digital scan file. Scanners are great tools to help us duplicate and share one-of-a-kind photos, but they do have a tendency sometimes to enhance colors you may have to mute a little during the editing process. You have the option during digital editing to fade out the pink, change the color to a sepia (more brownish) tone, or convert it to black and white. Here is a comparison of a pinkish scan converted to black and white.

Grainy Photographs with Severe Surface Damage

The original is 3.5" x 4.5" and the family hoped to print this image much larger than it's original size. It isn't the damage that is determining the final print size, but the photo's "texture" or spotted appearance. Were this to be a very sharp original, a slight blurring of the surface would have produced a smoother image ready to print at the desired size. Unfortunately, it is so blurry to begin with that smoothing the surface would harm the final image too much. Printed at a smaller size, the photo looks great hanging on a wall in a wonderful frame. When looking at your old photos, remember that hanging their restored prints on a wall minimizes the appearance of surface texture enough to trick the eye into thinking you must have a marvelous original. Also, consider printing in black and white. The contrast helps "sharpen" the image, as opposed to the softer tones of a sepia print. However, sometimes sepia prints help minimize surface damage. Experiment with printing to see which works best for your image.

Miniature Photo Restoration

The original of this photo was just about 1.25 inches by 1.5 inches, if that. So small. Yet this little photo prompted so many memories about my grandfather, a giant of a man with huge hands toughened by years of working on his farm and automobiles. If you scan these small photos at 2400-3200dpi or thereabouts (like you would a negative or slide), it gives you plenty of pixels to print a large photo. Sometimes the print will look grainy as you look closely. However, hang the print on a wall and you won't notice the imperfections as much. It certainly was worth the effort to restore this little gem of a photo.