Let’s Digitize Those Old Albums!

You can do it! It’s much easier than you might think! There are simple steps, even young kids can help.

ONE – Locate all of those old pictures and put them in chronological order. Keeping everything chronological is the key to good organization. If you have several albums from different years you can start with that first step this weekend, just put them in order.

TWO – Set a weekly goal of how many you would like to accomplish OR how much time you would like to devote. Even scanning just a small stack of photos or one album per week could give you digital files of everything in no time.

Assessing the value of your photographs

The thing with scanning photographs is that there are several methods, with several different price points, several different quality results and several different time commitments. Which one is best for you?

This is where we need to consider what the future life of those photographs is. Will this digital scan be used to make new prints, enlargements etc. Do you intend for those digital scans to be passed down for generations to come?

OR, are the pictures a lot of candid memories that you would like to secure with a digital back up but you don’t intend to ever make new prints of or pass down for generations to come (think college parties, zoo trips and the class play). Yes, you would be devastated if they were gone, but you don’t need the highest quality of digital image. Let’s be honest, that might be the majority of the pictures! If that seems like it fits for your pictures, try the Photomyne app.

The Photomyne app allows you to use your phone to get a single scan of a group of photographs. It then automatically separates the group into multiple digital photographs and even does minor corrections to each one. In a matter of minutes you can scan an entire album. Even a child could do this process! Its a great file size for sharing on social media, keeping a copy on your phone, even printing nice 4×6 size prints. And bonus, the app even colorizes old black and white photos. It’s beyond simple and the best way to digitize old photographs that are really just for your own enjoyment.

Tips to get the best scans with Photomyne or a phone app

ONE – For the best results, purchase a piece of museum quality glass from any framing shop. This glass eliminates most glare. Place your picture under the glass and you will get a higher quality scan of each one. This glass comes in any size. Make sure you purchase a piece that is large enough to cover your biggest photograph.

TWO – Find a place with a lot of natural light, evenly lighting up your photograph. Avoid harsh sunlight. A shaded spot outside works. I use a corner of my home with two big windows and indirect soft lighting.

THREE – Start a new album for each different group of photographs. I think it’s easiest to organize them by year. Every time I complete a year of pictures, I stop and start a new folder so that they new year is in it’s own group.

Giving heirloom photographs some extra attention

Did you inherit pictures of relatives going back to the 1800’s? Or do you have some very special pictures that you intend to pass down for generations. For extra special pictures I suggest getting a better quality scan.

The Epson FastFoto scanner is a great option for getting a higher quality scan. This scanner takes stacks of scans through it’s auto feeder and digitizes them (both front and back) at a pretty good pace.

There are also flatbed scanners for high quality scans. These are great if you have odd sized pictures or delicate prints that you don’t want to send through the auto feeder. They are the most time consuming option, but worth the effort if you are handling your most valued photographs.

There are also services to send your box of pictures off to! You don’t have to do the project yourself, as long as it is getting done!