Here's what you'll get after reading these scan tips...
If you don't know how to reduce dust and scratches from a scan, then you'll waste a lot of time trying to restore a single photo. Check out the video above. That restoration to me up to an hour!
So, here are some tips to help speed up your photo scan restoration...
What sucks about scanning at high resolution is, you're to see more minute dust, scratches, and debris.
You can't see this with the naked eye. But when you blow up, say, a 2” x 2” old photo into a 24” x 24” digital image, you're going to see every little speck.
And if you're trying to restore old photo scans, more resolution means work.
So what can you do? That's next...
You can control dust by making sure your work environment is clean. Sounds simple. But most people skip this step and wonder why their scans look more dusty.
Let me explain...
Every time you load your scanner, you'll be building up dust. Photos and windows like to attract dust. And after 100 scans or more, your images will look MORE dusty because of this build up. So cleaning your photos and scanner window is simple... but very important!
Here's how to clean your photos before scanning them...
How to clean your scanner window...
You maybe asking? “But what about scratches? These tips are great for dust. But using a lint-free cloth isn't going to get rid of minute scratches!?”
That's next!
Most scanners will come with software that will remove dust and scratches. And unfortunately, the more the expensive the scanner, the better the software. What I mean is, when you buy a $200 scanner, you're going to get the basic software. When you buy the $1100 scanner, you're going to get more options, faster speeds, and better results when removing dust and scratches.
But let's give it a shot. No matter what type of scanner you have, you probably have “Dust Removal” option. So let's see how well your scanner does this.
Have a look at what my scanner software looks like...
Here's what to do...
Why do this? You only have to do this for one scan. What I want you to see is if Dust Removal is OK for you.
For example, when I zoom in...
... you can see that Dust Removal cleaned up dust AND removed detail.
That's the problem with Dust Removal. It's a quick fix. And if that's cool with you, then great.
But if you don't like what you see... if you think Dust Removal made your scan worse... then check out tip 3, next...
Oh, have you heard of Digital ICE? Yeah, it doesn't work on photos. It only works on transparencies (slides and negatives). So don't let their marketing fool you, because they don't really tell you that upfront.
This step isn't easy. But remember this... you'll only be scanning your photos once. These scans will be passed down to your kids. And your kids will give them to their own kids. Your name and image of you will live on.
I'm saying this because, personally the effort is worth it. To learn how to use image edging software is a skill any body can learn. And once you learn how to fix ONE photo, then the rest will go faster.
And the good new is, I got you covered.
Here's how to use GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom, or Elements to fix dust and scratches...
Step One: Remember to clean your photos before loading them. Use a lint-free cloth. Wipe gently. Don't apply any liquids on the photo.
Step Two: Clean your scanner window. Use a different lint-free cloth. Spray a small amount of eyeglass clean on the cloth. Don't spray the scanner window! You'll get moisture under the scanner window if you do.
Step Three: Use “Dust Removal” option that came with your scanner's software. But do a test first! Get a natural scan, with NO Dust Removal. And get another scan with Dust Removal. If you like what you see, great! If not...
Which of these scanning troubles do you want to overcome?
Hey, my name is Konrad. I've been scanning professionally since 2005. I've helped multi-billion dollar companies, pro sports teams, pro photographers, artists, museums, book publishers, etc. I've scanned over 930,000 slides, negatives, photos.
The reason I'm telling you this is because no matter what challenge or frustration you're having, I know exactly what you're going through. So, to help you RIGHT NOW, I've put together a super simple scanning guide to get you started.