Why scan, and why do it carefully
Prints fade, stick together and get lost. A digital copy lets you share pictures with relatives, restore them and keep a safe duplicate. The key point is that you usually only want to handle each fragile photograph once, so it pays to choose your settings before you start rather than rescanning later.
An ordinary flatbed scanner, either standalone or part of a multifunction printer, is enough for most family prints. Photo scanning is slower than scanning documents, but you do not need special equipment to get good results.
Handle prints carefully
Old photographs are delicate. A few habits reduce the chance of damage:
- Wash and dry your hands, or wear clean cotton or nitrile gloves, and hold prints by the edges. Oils from skin can leave marks.
- Work on a clean, flat surface with good light, and keep drinks away.
- Do not peel stuck photos from albums. Photos mounted on sticky pages can tear. If a picture is valuable and firmly stuck, it may be safer to scan the whole page, or consult a professional conservator.
- Do not use the automatic document feeder. Feeders can scratch, bend or jam. Use the flat glass for every photo.
- Avoid damp cloths and cleaning sprays on old prints. Dust can usually be removed with a soft, dry brush or a blower, and the scanner glass should be cleaned separately.
- Be extra cautious with torn, cracked or curled originals. Do not force them flat.
Clean the scanner glass first, following the maker’s advice, with the scanner unplugged or switched off. A small speck on the glass can show up as the same spot on every scan, which makes you wonder later whether the dust was on the photo.
Choose scanner settings
Menus vary between scanners, so use the ideas rather than exact names.
Resolution
Resolution is measured in dots per inch, or DPI. A higher number captures more detail and creates a bigger file. For standard prints you plan to view on screen or reprint at the same size, a setting in the range of 300 to 600 DPI is commonly used. For small prints you may want to enlarge, or for a damaged picture you intend to restore, scanning higher is often chosen. Beyond a certain point, extra DPI only produces larger files without more real detail, particularly with soft or faded originals.
For a reprint at twice the size, you roughly need twice the resolution, so a print scanned at 600 DPI is a reasonable starting point. For negatives and slides, use a scanner designed for film, since a normal flatbed lacks the needed resolution and backlighting.
Color mode
Use full color, even for black-and-white prints. Old prints are often tinted, and a color scan records the true appearance, which can be converted later. Scanning black-and-white as pure black and white (1-bit) destroys the gray tones.
File format
- TIFF is an uncompressed or lossless format, often used for archival master copies. Files are large.
- JPEG is smaller but loses a little quality each time it is edited and saved again. A high-quality setting works well for sharing and everyday viewing.
- PNG is lossless and a reasonable middle ground.
A common approach is to save one master copy in a lossless format and make smaller JPEG copies for sharing. Remember that this multiplies the storage you need, so check your free disk space before starting a large batch.
Automatic corrections
Many scanners offer dust removal, color restoration or automatic cropping. These can help, but they can also change the image in ways you cannot undo. If possible, keep an untouched scan and apply fixes to a copy.
Scan the back too
Handwritten dates, names and places on the reverse are information worth keeping. Scan them alongside the front, and consider adding a note in the file name.
Name and organize the results
A clear naming scheme saves hours later. Some people use a date and a short description, such as year, month, then the event or the people shown. When you do not know the date, use a rough range and say so. Keep names simple: letters, numbers and hyphens. Avoid characters that cause trouble for some systems, such as slashes.
Folders organized by year or by event are easy to browse. Record details you know about each photo while a relative can still tell you, perhaps in a small text file in each folder. The tips on naming and keeping files in the article on scanning documents apply to photos too, although photographs rarely benefit from text recognition.
Back up your results
Digital files are only safe if more than one copy exists. A common guideline is to keep copies in more than one place, with at least one away from your home. Review backup basics for a general approach. External drives are a simple option, and cloud backups provide an offsite copy. Each has trade-offs, and both are worth considering for irreplaceable pictures.
Do not delete the originals after scanning. Store prints flat or upright in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, in acid-free sleeves or boxes if you can obtain them. Basements and attics tend to be poor locations because of damp and temperature swings.
Check your backups occasionally by opening a few files from them, as covered in the guide to restoring backups. Storage devices and formats do not last forever, so plan to copy your archive to fresh media from time to time.
A realistic plan
Start with a small batch of favorite photos to learn your scanner’s behavior. Decide on your resolution, format and naming scheme, then write them down so you stay consistent. Work in short sessions, since a long run of repetitive scanning leads to mistakes, and back up each finished batch before moving on.