Recently I was reading the magazine section of a newspaper and was surprised by the poor quality of some of the images in an article I was reading. The images were blurred in parts and had lost resolution and information, I suspect due to the fact that they were never scanned properly in the first place, that is, the resolution they were scanned at was not sufficient for publication.
A lot of people think that scanning an image just involves putting it in a scanner and pushing a button - easy-peasy - so why pay someone?
The answer is its not just a matter of having good scanning equipment - its knowing how to get the best out of your equipment, the right settings and the right resolution for the purpose.
Before I scan I analyse the image to gauge things like its detail and also damage.
I ask:
- What do you want to use your images for?
- Do you think you might want to print them in the future?
I also consider:
- What is the best digital format. If they are colour images for example, I want to try and capture as much of the colour as possible
- If they are damaged. I want to give people the option of being able to fix them, if not now - maybe in the future.
Scanning is also about knowing the best format to save your digital images for the future. So if you have a collection of slides, negatives or photos call me because I can help you with your scanning needs.
