Photo Scanning Help
Scanning photos can
be frustrating if you don't know how to get good results. Here's the basics for
scanning your photos for use on our photo card products.
Use a good original
A good original is still important in determining the final quality of
the scanned image. Even if your scanning software has tools to improve
image quality, they work only up to a point. Images that are out of
focus, dirty, or poorly exposed may never look great-no matter how much
time you/we spend retouching them.
Keep your scanner clean
Make sure your scanner glass is clean before you scan images. This way, you
don't pick up flecks of dust along with the image when you scan. To clean the
scanner glass, use alcohol on a lint-free cloth and clean the glass carefully.
About resolution also known as dpi (dots per inch)
For image reproduction at 100% (exact same size as the original), set the dpi
setting to 300. Many scanners are preset to 72 or 150 dpi so be sure to check
and make sure you have it set to scan at the proper resolution. The main photo
for your card should be scanned at 400 dpi or greater if your subject is small
within the print (a face/head smaller than a silver dollar). It's always better
to provide a scan that is too large than one that is not large enough.
Scanning
the image
Wipe prints with a clean, soft cloth to remove dust and fingerprints before
placing in your scanner.
Place your photos on the scanning surface and make sure they are not crooked.
Run a preview scan of the photograph to determine the scanning area. Next use the
selection tool to create a box around the perimeter of the photograph. This
tells the scanner to only scan the selected area, thus speeding up scan time and
reducing file size (no need to waste disk space scanning an entire page for a
3x5 inch photograph). You're now ready for a final scan of the image.
Saving your images
Do not crop or alter the scans in any way. Our graphic designer will do any
necessary retouching, cropping, and color correcting for you. Save your images
in jpg format at the highest quality possible.
Does it look ok?
All scanners will interpret color differently. The age and quality of
your scanner will greatly affect the final scan. We commonly receive
scans from customers where the colors are greatly skewed such as orange
skin tones, underexposed shadows, highlights blown out, etc. If your
scans don't look right on your monitor, they probably won't look right
when printed either. Your best bet is to just mail us your prints. If
you're in a big hurry, you'll want to overnight them using FedEx, UPS,
etc.
If in doubt...
Lastly, if you have doubts about your scanning abilities, please just mail us
the prints for your card. We charge nothing to scan your photos for you.