Preparing Photos for Scanning
Box of Photos
If you have photo albums, check through them to see if your photo’s are OK. If they are faded, sticking to the paper, changing color, or if there is mold on any of the pages, then its time to remove them. We have several ways of digitizing your photos. If they are stuck on the pages, leave them there. We can digitize your photo’s safely while in your books. Peeling them off will compromise your photos, they will curl and parts of the photo paper can remain stuck on the pages.
If your photos are in albums with the magnetic paper or wax paper, they should be removed. The photo’s of the 70’s seem to be the most faded right now. I have placed my photos from albums in their own file folder to keep them together while I scan them. The photos are scanned to a jpg file and placed on a CD. From there, I make DVD’s and hard cover professionally bound books.
PREPARING PHOTOS FOR YOUR PRODUCTION Photos that not in albums can be placed in photo boxes. We can scan them to digitize and preserve them. Your photos will be dusted, scanned as jpg files at 300-600 dpi and placed on CD.s We can also make DVD productions from your scanned photos. Once your photos are digitized, you can make copies of the disc and send copies to other family members. This will help insure that your family history is preserved.
We will work with you every step of the way. Our production packages include all consultations, pickup and delivery in the Portland/Vancouver area (within 50 miles). Phone to schedule your consultation appointment. Lorelei and Dave will bring sample videos to your office or home and provide you with an explanation of how to get your photos ready. At this appointment, we will discuss how many photos and materials you will include, the exact cost, and your production date will be set. We will go over any last details when we pickup your material. The sorting process can be completed in two to four hours, if you do the following:
Take all of your photos and put them on a large table. Divide them into two stacks, a “NO” stack and a “YES” stack. Note: If photos are stuck in an album, tan large ‘posit notes’ and put them next to the photos you wish to include in your video.
The “NO” stack will include: All duplicated photos and photos that don’t say much.
All out of focus photos, unless there is no other choice.
Most plain photos with not much personality (i.e. school pictures, etc.).
Most tiny photos (i.e. 1 inch by 1 inch), unless there is no other choice.
In the YES pile put:
All candid photos that show the character and personality of the people in your family. Include shots where people are doing something positive and fun.
Photos that cover most of the important moments that took place in your family’s history – Christmas, Easter, weddings are good.
Try to include a couple of photos from most every year of each family member’s life. If possible, remember not to overkill – use only the highlights. Take all the “NO” photos and put them completely out of sight.
Now decide how many categories you wish to have and get out an equal number of 3/4 enclosed file folders to put them in. On each folder, write
what section it is,
what the person’s full name is,
the number of photos there are,
type of music or song preferred and any special notes of importance.
Sections may include:
Great grandparents,
grandparents,
mom and dad,
first-born,
second-born,
third-born, etc.
And, a section on all of your closest friends and family members.
It’s not mandatory that you put each section in chronological order.
Lay the folders out and begin putting your “YES” photos on top of their preferred sections. You may find yourself removing a few more photos. In the end, you’ll have a total (i.e. 8 sections of 40 photos each = 320 photos).
You can also arrange your video without sections, by putting all your memories together, “close to chronologically”. We want to help you! Call us if you experience difficulties. We only have to do this once in your lifetime, let’s do it right! Also, we will review these instructions at your consultation meeting.