I have a new project! I've decided to scan a bunch of our old photos, particularly my mom's. She happens to have quite a few photos from the past (1930-50's) that I think should be preserved.Unfortunately our Canon scanner is very old. It has certainly done a great job up to now but my techie brother, Dennis felt I should upgrade if I was going to put so much effort into preserving the photos and the information that I would attach to each image.
You all know how long it takes us to make up our minds. Therefore when Dennis was here on Sunday I told him to choose the scanner we should get. He decided pretty darn quickly. Although this scanner was $169.99 at Newegg.com, the shipping was $52.52! Sheesh! I would love to complain but I'm getting used to the Hawaii shipping costs. I was surprised that the scanner arrived yesterday! (No, I couldn't find a scanner in Hawaii that wasn't attached to a printer/FAX machine.)
I stared at it last night but I was afraid to open it. Art was busy with a new house project and Dennis is planning to come this weekend to help set it up so nobody could help me. Then I told myself, "I have a college degree. I can read. I know how to follow directions." That last one is very dubious, but I held my breath and opened the box. I read the directions, got stuck a couple of times, called my brother at the police station for help, got tips from Art and then started attaching the wires and uploading the set-up DVD...by myself.
And you know what? I did it! It works! It works great!
I've got all these little 2" X 3" photos that would have been a real trial to scan individually but I discovered that with this new machine I can put 6 small photos on the bed and it knows to save each photo individually. It can also auto correct yellowed photos. I'm going to scan all the photos and then ask my mom and aunts for their memories which I'll input onto the Summary (under Properties) for each photo. Then I can save them to a DVD and I'll bet my cousins and all our kids would love it.
Here's my new machine all set up and doing a great job so far. I'm doing the not so important photos right now. Dennis will want to make adjustments on the scanner and decide what the best method of archiving and organizing I should do. (This scanner even scans slides and film... but I won't deal with that right now!)
However, the important thing is... I DID IT! Almost pretty much truly definitely sorta by myself!
YAY, KAY!!! I AM PROUD OF YOU!
ReplyDeleteWell done Kay! It's a great project and well worth doing. Be prepared for some memory jolts!!sudgedra I wish we had started when my parents were still alive - as it is there are hundreds of old photos with nameless people in them. At least Barry's mother can give information on hers.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Kay! It sounds like a really worthwhile project. Future generations will thank you. and meantime, you will enjoy it yourself immensely. Maybe you could put a few of the old pictures in a post? That would be interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteNot only this project is interesting but a lot of fun too....happy scanning !!
ReplyDeleteWell, I did get to see those photos in your pictures and those are priceless, Kay. The old photos I have seen while in Japan were priceless too. Wow. What a treasure you have there.
ReplyDeleteI will tell you this and then you can ask your brother about it if you wish.
Scanners have a default set of scan settings. I am not sure if your scanner's default settings will give you an image the same exact size of your pictures or not. It either will or they will be larger.
You can check the settings or your brother can, and if you look you should find a place to change the settings from the default (like 72 dpi) to something higher (like 300 dpi normally used for printing) and that will increase the size of your pictures. So you can do one and see how big it is when you put it in your computer. 300dpi might make them too large like maybe 8x10 inches. It is something to think about if you are taking the time to scan a lot of priceless pictures.
You might be able to take one you can barely make out and have it bigger to details are easier to see.
It is just an idea or something you should know.
great! u hv the confidence to do that.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'll bet your son-in-law's going to be proud?
ReplyDeleteI got a new scanner too, a few weeks ago, for almost the same reason: my mother left my sister her photos in albums, but left me all the negatives so we'd each have copies. Then there's all our family photos from the last thirty years...I'll be happy when allll our photos are on DVD; goodbye to boxes and boxes of photo albums!
Have fun! Your mother's photos look beautiful.
good for you Kay, Miss Technology! You reminded me that my mom has a lovely old photo that she wants preserved. I'm going to try scanning it for her.
ReplyDeleteWell, aren't you something!?! You did a great job getting the scanner set up, Kay. I can't wait to see some of the photos you scan. AND, here's a suggestion: Make photo books at Kodak or Snapfish or one of the photo sites, and give the photo books as gifts to your children. You can add captions to identify the various people in each photo. Making a photo book is fun, and it's great to have valuable photos all collected into one book. Just an idea....
ReplyDeleteyou are a smart cookie-good for you. I uploaded my husband's photos to flickr.com and they are available in slide shows by putting them together in a group to look at for anyone or just family and you can print them off. The internet is marvelous. Sounds like a worthwhile photo. Hope you'll share some of the old photos with us...
ReplyDeleteGood job, Kay. I know that people of our generation didn't grow up with this technology, so it can seem pretty daunting. When my sons speak techie, it's a foreign language to me. But, you dived in and figured things out....way to go.
ReplyDeleteWow! You go girl! I would not be able to do it! Now you scan your little heart out... :)
ReplyDeleteKay you deserve a medal, I am happy for you and look forward to seeing some old photos. Thank you for coming by, have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new toy. I have an Epson scanner and love it. I've scanned all kinds of old pictures and documents. Be sure you upload them to Flickr, Ancestry.com, or back up your files often. I like to put mine in places other people can access them. Some thoughtful people have done that with ancestor pictures and I'm always thrilled when I find them.
ReplyDeleteHooray for Kay! Ever learning, ever living! And what a fabulous idea. Every family needs an historian.
ReplyDeleteHooray for you, Kay!! That's going to be my next project/investment! Been wanting to save not only my photos, but family ones! And you did it yourself!! Fantastic! Now, I hope I have the guts to do the same! Hope you have a scanning good weekend!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Good for you! Sometimes we just have to give ourselves a push to get going, and then we surprise ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful project that you're taking on. Tom had scanned many old family photos and recorded many stories in text, but your way sounds wonderful. It will be a treasure.
I am proud of you, too! And I understand your pride. When I got my new computer, etc., a couple years ago, I let the box sit for a week because the idea of setting everything up intimidated me -- a techie I am not. I finally gave myself the same talk you did and did it!!! I was grinning like a fool when I was done. Funny how we allow a machine to intimidate us.
ReplyDeleteWell done you! And what a labour of love you've set yourself. I started scanning our old photographs when I was doing a lot of work on my family tree. But then I discovered patchwork and quilting, and it all took a back seat; but I hope to start up again soon.
ReplyDeleteWell done! I find technology scary, so I am impressed.
ReplyDeleteI love that photo of the couple in formal dress: is it of your parents? I hope you are going to share some of them with us.
I bought a scanner for myself for Christmas. My gift to me ! It's still in the box....I will get to it. Maybe your example will spur me on and I will get to it soon.
ReplyDeleteHope so! Good job Kay, it's fun to be techy after the set up and breakin period that is...and you did it by yourself!
Have a great weekend!
nice scanner. And I know what you mean about shipping costs to Hawaii .... we just have to find something better.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you. I've tried to do some of our old photos but there are SO MANY that is it daunting. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteKay, I scanned alot of old pictures from my family and they turned out wonderful!! Have fun!
ReplyDeletethelaughinghousewife: Yes, that's my mother's wedding photo. I'm leaving that for my brother to scan. I think he'll want some special settings.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Kay-great job! I would love to have a scanner such as this one. I scanned my husband's grandmother's album of photos of when he and his brothers were small and it took forever on my big scanner. How wonderful that your family can all enjoy the photos.
ReplyDeleteI am deciding between this Epson and a Canon, but I agonize over these little purchases...I guess you and I have that in common..LOL....LOL..
ReplyDeleteProud of you Kay, for setting it up and for undertaking this huge and important project.
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