scans and LR

[anke]

My new Epson scanner just arrived and before I make a big mess of things I thought I'd find out how you all do this. Where do you scan your pics to if you have Lightroom or do you move them later? And what resolution do you use? I am so excited to finally have a decent scanner for all my old kid's pics and really pics of me

[Mary Rogers]

Hi Anke,

I import them directly from my Epson scanner into Lightroom. I always do a preview and usually scan at 300, unless it is an old photo or one I plan to make rather big.

I plan to pickup a portable 4x6 photo scanner soon so I can get a ton of my prints scanned and preserved.

hth
: )

[AllynD]

Hi, Anke,

I am just getting started with LR, so I can't help you much there, but I do a lot of scanning.

I always scan 4x6 photos at 600 dpi-- that way, if I want to crop and/or enlarge, I will still have a good photo for a layout. Also, when I touch up my photos to remove dust or scratches, I seem to have a better result when I start with a 600 dpi scan.

I usually create a temporary folder on my desktop while I am scanning a large bunch of photos. After I am satisfied with the scans and sequencing, I move them into a subfolder in my "Pictures" folder (Mac). I organized my scans into three categories-- My husband's family photos, my family photos, and scans of our family photos. Within the "Scans Our Family" folder, I have subfolders for each year from 1980 to 2002 (after that we went digital).

I sequence all my scans with the year of the photo. For example, all my scans from 1984, roll number 1, are titled: "1984-01-001.jpg, 1984-01-002.jpg," and so forth. The scanner will number all your scans for you, so using that feature will make everything much easier to organize.

HTH!

[lima]

Anke, what model did you get? I think my scanner died this morning--am waiting to hear back from tech support whether or not it is salvageable. If so, I am in the market for a new one!

[hendon]

Originally Posted by AllynD

I sequence all my scans with the year of the photo. For example, all my scans from 1984, roll number 1, are titled: "1984-01-001.jpg, 1984-01-002.jpg," and so forth. The scanner will number all your scans for you, so using that feature will make everything much easier to organize.

HTH!

I hope I'm not sidetracking your question here Anke, but I was going to post a question about how people 'label' their scanned photos.

I have a huge amount of old photos to scan, some going back quite a few generations so:
- do you still keep them in a folder for say yours and your husbands families, or do you start to add a few ancestral names folders?
- if you don't have a date how do you label them?
- if you label them by date where do you name who is in the photo - do you rely on tagging or something else?

I know I'm probably overthinking this but I am a bit obsessive and this issue is driving me crazy.

[AllynD]

Hi, Donna,

I used to scan ad hoc, and my scans were anywhere and everywhere with assorted titles, in total chaos. Then my DS gave me a Mac for Christmas, 2007, and I started to think systematically about my scanning.

I undertook a huge scanning project last spring/summer-- about 750 photos from my mother's collection of hundreds of old family photos, going back to the late 1800s. I developed a system, although I may be changing my system as I consider using different software.

So as not to hijack Anke's thread, I will start a new thread on my scanned-photo organization. I will try to post something a little later tonight or tomorrow, and add the link here later.

I have ADD, and organization has always been difficult for me, so I tend to overcompensate. OTOH, in one of those grand ironies of life, my first professional job many, many years ago was as a procedures analyst, setting up office systems, so I do bring some professional expertise to these little organizational projects of mine, LOL!

[anke]

that is so funny Lynn!!! Thanks for the advice you all and I certainly don't feel like anybody is taking over my thread for Pete's sake! I love to read all this stuff, it helps me too!

[hendon]

Originally Posted by AllynD

Hi, Donna,

So as not to hijack Anke's thread, I will start a new thread on my scanned-photo organization. I will try to post something a little later tonight or tomorrow, and add the link here later.

I have ADD, and organization has always been difficult for me, so I tend to overcompensate. OTOH, in one of those grand ironies of life, my first professional job many, many years ago was as a procedures analyst, setting up office systems, so I do bring some professional expertise to these little organizational projects of mine, LOL!

That would be so wonderful if you can get a chance to post that Lynn. Thank you so much.

[Vanilla Scraps]

I have just got an Epson scanner as well and am still trying to work out configurations so all this information is very helpful. Does anyone scan negatives? i am trying to work out the best resolution for negatives and would be grateful for any tips. thanks

[kdif]

Hi Anke,

I tend to scan first and then import into LR later just to make sure I like the scan. Also, I find that it's easier to bring them straight to PS from the scan because they tend to need more work than LR can provide. After I have finished with them in PS I can then import into LR if I want to.

Kathleen

[iUma]

I scan at 600 like Lynn for the same reasons. I scan from the scanner software (Epson 4490 Photo is the hardware I use) directly into the file structure I am using and have the software sequence the images with a # in the name. I review, Photoshop and rename when I have something I want to use for a page or to print. That way you can do the PS work as you use the image. On my Mac I can flip to icon view easily and see to select the ones I want to work.

Just do it over time so you don't start to HATE it!!

[AllynD]

Vanilla-- scan negatives at 3000 or 4000 dpi.

Sorry, but I am studying Hebrew this summer, so I haven't had time to describe my scanning process. I'll try to get to it when I have some time later in the week.

I just sent 500 photos to ScanCafe, using the Fathers' Day Discount. I like to scan my own, but I just had too many. They send the photos to India for scanning, which might worry some, but I have sent them a small order before with no problem. Also, I have duplicates of everything I sent (I always got double prints when my kids were small). I would not send precious one-of-a-kind photos anywhere.

My big issue, when they come back, will be to rename the scans with my own system. I organized my scans by year and by roll, so I will probably use the batch process of PSE to rename the scans.

[LisaD]

I'm hoping to get an epson scanner later this year and undertake the ginormous task of scanning old photos. So thanks for starting this thread Anke. I also love reading about how everyone organizes their photos. Very helpful