Scanning basicsA scanner or HP All-in-One is a great tool for capturing photos, negatives and slides for long-termstorage or for sharing with others. Whether you're a scrapbooker, quilter, family historian, eBay maven,photo crafter or simply want to reduce paper clutter, you'll learn how to scan and edit documents,understand the basics of using your scanner effectively and get some tips and inspiring ideas to helpyou get more from your scanner.

LessonsWhat you can do with a scanner and how to choose one1.We'll begin with an overview of the many ways you can use a digital scanner forhobbies, creative pursuits, reducing paper clutter and more. If you're in themarket for a scanner, you'll explore what features are available and which onesare the best fit for your needs.Tips and tricks on scanning pictures2.This lesson gives you the background you need for successful photo scans!You'll explore resolution and color support as well as cropping and resizing yourphotos. You'll also learn how to choose the right file formats for your scans.Scanning negatives, slides, documents and more3.This lesson offers tips on scanning photo negatives and slides, as well as three-dimensional objects. You'll also find special scanner tips for scrapbookers,quilters and eBay sellers.Reduce paper clutter and manage your documents digitally4.Learn tips and ideas for reducing paper clutter by scanning your documents foreasy digital storage. You'll also learn how to scan newspaper articles, createPDFs as you scan (if your scanner has that feature), use OCR, scan genealogyand family history projects and more.

What you can do with a scanner and how to choose oneWe'll begin with an overview of the many ways you can use a digital scanner for hobbies, creative pursuits,reducing paper clutter and more. If you're in the market for a scanner, you'll explore what features are availableand which ones are the best fit for your needs.

 

Welcome to Scanning basics

Welcome to Scanning basics. Like so many of the fantastic technologies thathave found their way into our lives, digital scanners used to be reserved forwell-trained specialists and those with money to burn. Luckily, time andtechnology have changed all that. Anybody interested in digitizing documentsand objects has a wide range of choices that are powerful, affordable and easyto use, from stand-alone photo or document scanners, to All-in-Ones that canscan, print and copy.

Do you have boxes, tattered envelopes or file cabinets full of old photos ordocuments you'd like to preserve or share with others?Are you a budding genealogist or memorabilia collector?Do you make unique artwork or crafts that you'd like to digitize and show theworld?Are you a quilter who wants to transfer photographs or artwork onto fabric tomake custom designs?Do you have photo, negatives or slides that you would like to enlarge,restore or enhance on your computer?Are you looking for a way to share your scrapbook layouts with families andfriends?Are you a creative person looking for another tool to help your artistic visionsbecome reality?

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If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then you may need to get ascanner (or start using the one you have)! This class will have you scanningeverything from photos to flowers in four quick lessons.

Figure 1-1: Scanners and All-in-Ones can help you turn your photos,documents and other memorabilia into digital files.

Here's what each lesson of this course will cover:

Lesson 1: What you can do with a scanner and how to choose one. Thislesson starts with an overview of the many things you can do with a homescanner, and takes the mystery out of OCR and DPI with a discussion onscanning terms. If you're overwhelmed with photo and slide scanner reviews,this lesson will help you focus on the features you'll want to look for whenbuying or upgrading your scanner.Lesson 2: Tips and tricks on scanning pictures. This lesson covers all thebasic techniques you need to get started. Learn how to use a scanner toconvert your photos into digital images, and get tips and tricks for scanningpictures. You'll explore resolution and dpi, color support and how to crop andresize your scanned images. You'll also learn how to choose the best fileformats for different types of scans.Lesson 3: Scanning negatives, slides, documents and more. This lessongives you tips on scanning three-dimensional objects as well as 35 mm filmand slides, if your scanner has that feature. You'll get some practical tips forensuring great results and special scanning tips for online auctions,scrapbooking and other crafts.Lesson 4: Reduce paper clutter and manage your documents digitally. Thislesson covers document scanning and tips for genealogists. You'll learn howto you organize your scans, back them up, and share them; you'll find outhow to scan and edit documents, how to label your scans with distinctfilenames and tags, and how to archive copies in case anything happens toyour hard drive. Finally, you'll get tips to help you use your scanned photosand memorabilia to create cards, album pages, calendars or even throwblankets from your scanned pictures!

First let's explore some of the ways a scanner can be a practical as well ascreative tool in your home.

 

What you can do with a home scanner

If you have a digital camera, you know how useful (and fun) one can be. Digitalcameras make it fast and easy to capture and share visual aspects of yourworld with others. But what about things you'd like to share that are moredifficult to photograph?

Scanners bring digital magic to an entire world left untouched by the camera.Use a scanner to capture, preserve and share what's important to you, suchas:

Old photos: Most of us have at least a few boxes of old photographs takenbefore the days of mega pixels and memory cards. Whether they're familyheirlooms, like the one shown in Figure 1-2, or pictures from Polaroid days,

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scanners can help bring these important memories into the digital age.

Figure 1-2: Charming old photos are reborn in the digital age.Important documents: Whether you have immigration papers that are acentury old or a recent tax return, digitizing important documents helps yousecure and manage crucial information. You can eliminate clutter, free upspace and share important documents. Digital cameras are not always theideal way to digitize documents because of the issues of localized flash (orthe need for perfect ambient light), resolution and distortion from holdingyour camera even at a slight angle. Scanners also allow you to save differenttypes of documents as different file types. This comes in very handy; we'lltalk more about file types in Lesson 2.

Most scanners today offer a technology called OCR (optical characterrecognition), which converts clear, high-contrast printed documents into textfiles you can edit in a word processing program.

Textured or three-dimensional objects: The consistent surface and lightsource gives scanners the edge in helping you preserve and share yourlatest quilt, a leaf that just morphed into fall colors or even your stamp orcurrency collection. If an item is relatively flat (or flexible enough to beflattened) and it fits on the scanner bed, you can scan it! (More about this inLesson 3.)

Figure 1-3: This montage shows you some of the items that your scanner cancapture.

Slides and negatives: You probably have old slides or negatives that you'dlike to scan in order to make prints or share with family members. To do this,you'll need proper hardware and software. Fortunately, many standalonescanners and some HP Photosmart All-in-One printers come with slide and

negative scanning capability. The process requires a scanner with relativelyhigh resolution (so that the slides and negatives can be enlarged), a holderto keep small items straight on the scanner bed and an additional lightsource to let light pass through the slide or negative. (You'll learn more aboutscanning slides and negatives in Lesson 3.)

If you have old slides and negatives to bring into the present, consider an All-in-One. It provides lab-quality photos, scanning and printing and takes up far lessspace than separate devices.

In a nutshell, there are lots of reasons to get a scanner and use it! Once youget started, you'll probably think of even more ways you might use yourscanner to benefit or organize your life.

Next up: don't be afraid of scanner terminology. The words may seem unusualat first, but the concepts behind them are important.

 

Scanner-speak 101: resolution, dpi, OCR, TWAIN and more

The digital age has brought a new vocabulary with it. Since scanning is adigitizing process, you'll want to know what some of the terms mean. We'll beusing these terms during the class, so it's a good idea to get familiar with themnow. If you want to get more information on any of the terms here, you'll findlots of definitions and discussions in HP's scanner glossary or on the internet. Asearch on any of these words will probably turn up more web pages than youcan read in any one sitting. Consider this a friendly introduction to scannerterminology: scanner-speak 101, if you will.

Resolution is probably the most common term associated with digitalimaging. Typically, scanner resolution is expressed in dpi, or dots per inch.The higher the dpi, the more detail you'll be able to pick up from your originalimage. This is especially important when you want to make enlargements, asyou might with slides or negatives. A good rule of thumb is that each timeyou double your scanning resolution, you'll quadruple the scanned file size.Flatbed scanners are designed to lay items flat on the glass and areprimarily used for scanning images. A flatbed scanner works very well forphotos, slides, negatives, individual pieces of paper or 3D objects.Sheetfeed scanners are designed to feed multiple paper documents at atime through an ADF (automatic document feeder) and are primarilydesigned to scan documents.OCR (optical character recognition) refers to technology that allows you toconvert scanned documents into editable text files. This allows you toconvert printed material into electronic format without retyping or reenteringthe data. OCR can be a great timesaver when converting text or records todigital format.TWAIN is an agreed-upon industry standard that helps scanners and otherdevices communicate directly with software not made by the scannermanufacturer. It refers to images, not text. TWAIN software serves as atranslator for images, allowing you to access the scanner directly from aparticular application, such as Adobe Photoshop, and eliminate the need toscan the file with one utility and edit or manipulate it with another.

As you scan, you'll have the option to save the image in a variety of fileformats. TIFF and JPEG are the most common formats, but there areothers; choosing the right format depends a lot on what you plan to do withyour image. In the next lesson you'll learn more about the following digitalfile types: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP and PDF.

Next up: tips to help you choose the right home scanner for your needs.

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Tips on purchasing a home scanner

Should you get a standalone scanner or a Photosmart All-in-One that not onlyscans but makes copies and prints high-quality photo prints, as well ashandling ordinary print jobs on office paper? This scanner buying guide willhelp you zero in on the models that will best suit your needs. Here are a fewtips on deciding if you should get a scanner or an All-in-One:

If you're primarily looking for scanning speed and don't need printing andcopying functionality, you may want to go with a standalone documentscanner.If you're looking to build or upgrade your photo printing and home printingequipment anyway, consider an All-in-One. Not only do you get greatintegrated functionality, you'll save lots of space.If you plan to do lots of slide and negative scanning, a standalone photoscanner will handle more of them at once. Many of them have a TMA, ortransparency media adapter, that offers bulk scanning power.For heavy-duty document scanning and OCR, you may want a standalonedocument scanner that has an automatic document feeder and a doublescanning head—this allows two-sided scanning.Need a fax too? Many of the HP All-in-Ones offer fax capability, giving youjust one more tool that you might need every now and then.

Things to think about before you buy

This isn't a comprehensive checklist, but it's a way to start the decision-makingprocess. Make sure you:

Clearly define your needs. Will you be scanning in hundreds of slides ornegatives, or just the occasional photo? Would you like to enlarge andreprint your pictures, or are you mainly looking to archive documents on yourcomputer? Do you need built-in photo enhancements such color restoration,lighting correction or red eye removal?Set a budget. Although price isn't the only factor, it's important. Luckily, thereare great machines to match every budget.Ask lots of questions (and keep asking until they're answered). As you'rebrowsing the HP site and reading about the features and specs for scannersor Photosmart All-in-Ones, be sure to click the Help me choose tools at theupper right of each product listing. After you answer a series of questionsabout the features you want, desired price range and so on, the toolgenerates a custom chart that compares all the models that meet yourrequirements.

As you shop, you'll want to consider your needs and budget as you evaluateeach unit's features.

Select the features you want and will use

Here are some factors to consider when making your decision.

Resolution: As mentioned earlier, resolution refers to the number of pixelsper inch used to create your scanned images. Most scanners on the markettoday have a dpi of at least 2400, which is perfect for enlarging a photoabout four times (for example, enlarging a wallet-sized photo into an 8x10).Scanners with higher resolutions are especially useful if you plan onscanning and reprinting slides and negatives. To capture the details onslides and negatives, you may want to scan slides and negatives in TIFFformat at greater than 2400 dpi. Just be warned that high resolution scansresult in large files that can quickly eat up your hard drive space!

When you're comparing scanner resolution, you'll generally see two numbers(4800 x 9600 dpi, for example) listed on the side of the box. The first, smallernumber refers to the optical resolution—the number that tells you the scanner'smaximum dpi (dots per inch). The larger the dpi, the more detail you canachieve in your scans.

Maximum image size: Maximum image size is the limit on what size objectsyou can scan. If the maximum image size is 8.5 x 12, you can scan most

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ordinary letter-size documents, 8 x 10 photos and smaller items easily.Some flatbed scanners come in larger sizes to accommodate 12 x 18documents or 12 x 12 traditional scrapbook pages. You'll pay more forscanner beds much larger than 8.5 x 11, and the expense may not bewarranted.Negative and slide scanning ability: Many HP scanners allow you to bringyour important negatives and slides into the digital age. Slide your film intothe adapter, push the button and watch history come alive. Some scannersautomatically sense whether you're scanning a positive, a negative or a slideand adjust accordingly. You can also improve your negatives and slidesdigitally, resulting in a superior print.Scanning speed for photos, slides and negatives: If you're primarilyinterested in scanning photos, slides and negatives, be sure to look at taskspeed; consider the warm-up time as well as the actual scanning time. Whenscanning slides and negatives, the size of the TMA (transparency mediaadapter)—basically, your scanning template—will determine how manynegatives or slides you can scan at one time.Scanning speed for documents: For flatbed or sheetfeed scanners with anADF (automatic document feeder), speeds are specified in PPM (pages perminute) and IPM (images per minute, or the scan speed when scanning adouble-sided document). If you're focused on documents you'll want toconsider the PPM rating of the machine; also, a dual-head scannermaximizes the speed when scanning double-sided documents.Photo editing features: Some scanners offer features to improve the look ofyour photos without ever opening a photo-editing program on your computer.Many HP scanners have features such as red-eye removal, light adjustment,color restoration, adaptive lighting enhancements, contrast improvement anddust & scratch removal built right into the scanner software. These extrafeatures can be well worth the time they save later on; they're available onphoto scanners and many Photosmart All-in-Ones.Price: In general, as scanners increase in price, you'll get faster speeds,higher resolution and the ability to scan more slides and negatives at a time.Obviously, you want to pay for features that are useful to you and you don'twant to pay for features you wouldn't ever use. Basic, no-frills models willgive you good home-use results. If you want special features (automaticdocument feeders, larger bed sizes or All-In-One functionality), you'll need topay more.

Choose the HP scanner that's right for you with this scanner buying guide. ThisAll-in-One buying guide walks you through all the options available in aPhotosmart All-in-One. The HP Home & Home Office store is a great place tocompare features and prices of look at standalone document scanners,standalone photo scanners and versatile Photosmart All-in-Ones.

Moving forward

This first lesson covered scanner uses, terms and features to help you getstarted. Hopefully you feel a little more comfortable with your existing scanner,or maybe you're ready to purchase a new scanner to use for the remaininglessons. Features and resolution improve every year, and there's a scanner tofit every lifestyle and budget. The next lesson will show you the basics ofsetting up and operating your scanner, scanning a photo and determining whatfile type is best for your scan.

Once you're done with this lesson, be sure to complete the quiz andassignment. Don't forget to visit the Message Board to read your instructor'spost on today's lesson. The Message Board is a great place to meet your fellowstudents and to share your questions, comments and concerns. It's open 24hours, 7 days a week, so visit soon and visit often!

Assignment #1

If you're planning on buying a scanner, outline the top three features you're looking for. If youalready have a machine, what would you be looking for in an upgrade, or what features would youlike to explore and master? You can get some good info on scanners and scanner features here.

Feel free to come discuss your thoughts on the Message Board.

 

Quiz #1Question 1:Which of the following is the most common type of scanner used for photo scanning at home?

A) Input tray scannersB) Carousel scannersC) Flatbed scannersD) Belt-drive scannersE) Sheetfeed scanners Question 2:True or False: In the world of scanner terminology, dpi stands for "dots per inch."

A) TrueB) False Question 3:True or False: Scanners can only be used for scanning two-dimensional items like photos and documents.

A) TrueB) False 

Tips and tricks on scanning picturesThis lesson gives you the background you need for successful photo scans! You'll explore resolution and colorsupport as well as cropping and resizing your photos. You'll also learn how to choose the right file formats foryour scans.

 

Getting started with scanning

You probably already have a few items on hand that you'd like to transfer toyour computer for editing, archiving, reprinting or sharing with friends andfamily. Whether it's your latest creation or a precious memory, a scanner canturn your image into a digital file in no time!

Let's start with a simple photograph; you'll learn about scanning 3-D objectsand documents in the next lesson. This lesson offers an overview of thescanning process and some of the important decisions you'll need to make.

Figure 2-1: Understanding the features of your scanner and scanning softwarehelps you adjust the settings for great results every time.

A note about your computer

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If you plan to do a lot of scanning, keep in mind that the file types can be hugeand the memory needed can be substantial. How do you know you have whatyou need from a system standpoint? Today's powerful notebook computers caneasily handle high-resolution scanning and photo printing. If you're in themarket for a new notebook PC or desktop PC, review the minimumrequirements for your scanner, printer, and software before upgrading. Forscanning (especially if you plan to restore photos or create digital scrapbookinglayouts), you will be well-served by getting a computer with:

Plenty of storage space (ideally, a hard drive with 100 GB or more)A high amount of RAM (1 GB minimum)A processor speed of at least 1.6 GHz

If you already have a computer at home, you don't necessarily need to upgradein order to use your scanner. If you're short on hard drive space, you can addalways offload files to CDs, DVDs, or external hard drive. It's also relativelyinexpensive to add hard disk space, either with an external drive that plugs intoyour computer via a USB cable or with a new internal hard drive. Once youstart scanning, it's easy to get carried away—so do the math before you run outof disk space!

The HP Personal Media Drive is a compact, portable storage device that letsyou take your digital media files—music, videos, and photos—as well aseveryday files with you wherever you go. It provides a safe, easy-to-use backupsolution, and it plugs in via your PC's USB port.

Next up

Tips for getting the best results when scanning photos.

 

Scanning basics

Today's scanners are equipped for great results with photo scanning. If you'reusing your scanner for the first time, be sure to follow the manufacturer'sinstructions on installing the driver and scanning software.

Preparing your scanner

You'd be surprised how many dust specks on scanned photos come from thesurface of the scanner! Before you start scanning, be sure to remove any dirt,dust, hair and lint from your scanner glass and lid. The soft microfiber clothssold for cleaning eyeglasses are perfect for cleaning your scanner. If you havestubborn spots on the glass, you can spray a small bit of glass cleaner on a lint-free cloth and use that to clean the surface. Make sure that the glass cleanerdoesn't seep under the glass edges or come into contact with other parts of thescanner. After you've finished cleaning the glass, wait until the scanner glassand lid are completely dry before you do any scanning,

Preparing your photo

Next, carefully remove visible dirt and dust from your photo. You can use a lint-free wipe or cleaning materials specifically designed for photo surfaces. If thephoto you want to scan is in an old album, you'll get the best results if you cancarefully remove the photo so that it lays flat on the scanner. If your photosseem to be permanently bonded to the album, try slipping a length of dentalfloss underneath the photo to gently pry it up. Some photos can't be easilyremoved without damaging the photos, and in that case it's best to simply scanthe entire album page. Later, we'll show you how you can crop out the parts ofthe album page that you don't need.

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Placing your photo on the scanner bed

Lay your original item as straight as possible on the bed, face down. Mostscanners have a mark near one of the corners so that you can tell which endwill be scanned first—be sure to place your photo in that corner so that yourpicture is scanned from the top to the bottom. You can always rotate andstraighten your picture later with your photo editing software, or in some casesusing your scanner software, but it's best to avoid unnecessary editing andpossible loss of resolution.

Scanning and saving

Once you've placed your photo on the scanner bed, the basic steps are asfollows:

Step 1: Previewing your image

Press the Scan button on the front of the scanner or All-In-One. If you'd likemore control over your scanning options, you can open a photo editingprogram, such as HP Photosmart Essential, and choose Import Photos. Selectyour scanner and the scanner software will open. In most cases, the scannerwill automatically do a quick scan so that you'll see a preview of your photo, asshown in figure 2-2. If your scanner software doesn't preview the photoautomatically, click the New Scan button.

Figure 2-2: The scanner will perform a quick scan so that you can see apreview of your photo.

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Step 2: Selecting an area to scan

When you preview a scan, you can choose to scan the entire image, or you canchange the area that you want to scan. You'll see a dotted selection borderaround the preview image, which shows you the portion of the preview imagethat will be scanned. If you want to change the selection border, simply clickone of the black square handles and drag it to the size you want. Alternatively,you can create a new selection border by moving the pointer to where you wantone of the corners of the selection area to be, and then dragging the pointer towhere you want the opposite corner of the selection area to be.

In Figure 2-3, we adjusted the selection border so it was only around our photo,and we pulled it in from the edges of the photo in order to crop out some of thetorn pieces and rough spots. The part outside the border is gray, and will not bescanned. If you're scanning multiple photos at once, each picture will beselected during the preview. You can change the selection for each picture byclicking on the picture and then dragging the border.

Figure 2-3: Adjust the selection border to change the area to be scanned.

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Step 3: Making adjustments

At this point, you might want to make a few adjustments to your scan. Byclicking on the arrows next to each heading on the right, you can restore color,remove dust and scratches, resize your photo, adjust the lighting and color andchange the resolution. We'll examine some of these settings in more detail laterin this lesson. For a basic photo scan, the default settings should be fine.

Figure 2-4: You can fine-tune your scan using the adjustments within thescanner software.

Step 4: Scanning the photo

Once you're happy with your adjustments, it's time to scan the photo. Just clickAccept to do a final scan of your photo. After you've finished scanning, you maybe prompted to scan another image. You can select Yes to scan another photo,or No if you're finished scanning for now.

Step 5: Saving your file

After your scan is complete, it's time to save your image. Select a file name anda destination on your computer, and save your file.

If you opened up Photosmart Essential to scan your file, it will be automatically

saved under the date that you made the scan.

Now, let's take a deeper look at some of the scanning decisions you need tomake.

 

Important scanning decisions

Now that understand the steps involved in making a basic scan, it's time toexplore a few options! You're not stuck with the default settings; in fact, you'llprobably need to make a few changes based on the item you're scanning andwhether you'll be viewing your scan on the screen or printing it out.

Editing your scanned photo

Many HP All-in-Ones and photo scanners offer you the ability to edit yourphotos in the scanner software in preview mode. Depending on your scanner'sfeatures, you might be able to restore color, remove dust and scratches orsharpen your photo. You can click on the arrow next to each option, then makeadjustments in the software. Your image preview will change to reflect youradjustments, so you can decide if you like them or not. Consult your manual formore details on each of these enhancements.

Here are some of the effects you can achieve within HP's easy-to-use scanningsoftware that comes with Photosmart scanners and All-in-Ones:

Use Auto Correct to restore faded color or perform dust and scratch removalResize your photo to standard or custom sizesCrop to remove flawed areas and improve compositionRemove red-eyeAdjust brightness and contrastLighten or darken your photoFlip your photo to create a mirror imageDescreen to reduce dots on printed material such as newspaper articles

Now let's take a closer look at some of your scanning options.

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Using Auto Correct to fix color and remove dust or scratches

If you have boxes of old photos, chances are you have a few that you mightthink are beyond all hope. Maybe your childhood photo has turned an attractiveshade of red, or Aunt Lucy's wedding portrait has yellowed like an oldnewspaper. Before your photos fade away for good, try reviving them with thecolor correction features built right into the scanner software. This photo from1973 had taken on a distinct reddish cast, but by selecting Restore FadedColor in the scanner software, it looks as good as the day it was taken!

Figure 2-5: Use the Auto Correct feature to fix discolored photos with the clickof your mouse.

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You can even remove dust and scratches with one click–simply choosePerform Dust and Scratch Removal and let the scanner do the work for you!

Next, we'll take a look at how to resize your photos as you scan them.

 

Enlarging or reduce the size of your scanned photo

If you plan on enlarging (or shrinking) your photo, you'll need to let the scannerknow! When you click Resize on HP scanning software, you'll see two sets ofdimensions: the Selection Area Dimensions and the Output Dimensions. (Otherbrands use different terminology, but the basic concepts should be thesame—you determine the area to be scanned as well as the size of the finalscan.)

Set the Selection Area Dimension to determine what your scanner willactually scan—either a whole photo or a portion of it. On HP scanners, youset the scan area by adjusting the selection border, as discussed earlier inthe lesson.Set the Output Dimensions to determine the final size of your scanned photo.To change the final size of the scan, you'll need to adjust the OutputDimensions by entering either actual numbers (say you want enlarge a 4x6photo into an 8x10), or a percentage (shrink your photo by 75 percent, orenlarge by 150 percent). If you are changing the ratio of the photo, as is thecase when you enlarge a 4x6 to an 8x10, you will need to adjust theselection border around your image. As you drag the border inward, you'llnotice the output dimensions changing. Once you have your outputdimensions set to the final print size (in this case, 4x6), you can move theselection border around to adjust the area of the picture you wantscanned—simply click inside the box and drag. In the example in Figure 2-6,we wanted to enlarge the photo to a 4x6, so we changed the selectionborder to a rectangle, typed 6.00 in the Width box, and then adjusted theselection border until the Height box had 4.00.

Figure 2-6: You can enlarge or reduce the size of your scanned photo bychanging the output dimensions, and adjusting the selection border.

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You can drag the selection border to crop out portions of your photo that youdon't want to keep, or to improve the composition of your photo (by changingfrom landscape to portrait-orientation, for example).

Now let's talk adjusting the lighting and color of your photo.

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Improving the lighting, color and sharpness of your photo

You can bring faded photos back to life with the tools in the HP scannersoftware. By adjusting the sliders under Lighten / Darken, Sharpen and ColorAdjustment, you can greatly improve the look of your photos. Keep in mind thatthe scanner can only work with the photos you have—if most of the color hasfaded from your picture, there's not much chance of restoring it back to its

original condition. But with a few adjustments, you can perk up even thesephotos, as shown in Figure 2-7.

Figure 2-7: By making just a few adjustments, you can bring faded picturesback to life.

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Next it's time to decide which resolution you should use for your scans.

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Determine the scanning resolution

Before you decide on a resolution, you need to consider what you eventuallywant to do with your scanned photo. Do you plan to email a photo to family andfriends, or put it on a website? Are you trying to restore an older photographand make a new print? Or do you want to crop and enlarge a small picture?You'll need to choose different resolutions for each of these scenarios:

Sharing via web or email: 75 or 100 dpi. To scan a photo to post on awebsite or attach to an email, you can choose a lower resolution. A standardcomputer monitor is only 72 to 96 dpi (dots per inch), so you can select ascanning resolution of 75 or 100 dpi. If you choose a higher resolution, theextra information will be "thrown out" if you're posting a photo online (placingit on a website or blog, for example). Lower resolution also means a smallerfile size, and your friends will thank you when they don't have to wait 30minutes to download your email!Printing your photo: 300 dpi. Since printers have higher resolutions thatmonitors, you'll need a higher DPI when you're scanning an image that youwant to print. If you want to scan an image and reprint it at the same size,300 dpi works best. Photo labs (and many home inkjet printers) print at thisresolution.Cropping and enlarging your photo: higher than 300 dpi. If you're planning ontightly cropping and then printing your photo out at the same size as theoriginal, you'll need the scanner to gather a bit more information about theimage, so you'll need to choose a higher resolution. Likewise, if you'rescanning in a small photo (or negative) and enlarging it, you'll want tochoose a higher resolution. The exact resolution will be depend on how largeyou want your final print to be, but the general rule of thumb is to double theresolution (300 dpi if you're planning on printing the image) each time youdouble the output size. For example, if you're scanning a 4x6 and want yourfinal image to by 8x10 (roughly twice as large), you'll need to double theresolution to 600 dpi. For slides and negatives, you'll need to scan atresolutions around 2400 dpi.Emailing a photo for someone else to print: 300 dpi. What if you want toemail a photo to someone for them to print? Your best bet is to scan thephoto at 300 dpi so they can make a good print, even though it means thatthe image may take a while to download, and they'll have to scroll around tosee the entire photo.

You might be tempted to scan everything at high resolution, just in case youever want to make enlargements. You could, but your files would be huge! Ingeneral, scanning at 100 dpi is sufficient for files that will only be viewed oncomputer monitors, and 300 dpi is perfect for images that will eventually beprinted. You may want to experiment with your particular printer by scanning atlower and higher resolutions, and then printing the images to see if you notice adifference.

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Now let's talk about how to choose the right file format: JPEGs, TIFFs and soon.

 

Choosing the right file format

Once you have scanned your photo, you'll want to save it. Deciding which filetype to use can be confusing at first, but it's important to understand thedifferences so you can retain the scanned image quality without taking up largeamounts of hard drive space.

JPEG vs. TIFF

Although there are many different image file types, you'll probably want to savemost scanned images as either a JPEG or a TIFF. For now, let's look at the twoformats that you're most likely to use when you scan an image.

JPEG: The Joint Photographic Experts Group developed the JPEG formatexpressly for photos; most digital cameras create JPEG files. JPEG cancompress image files from 2 to 10 times less than their original size. Whenchoosing JPEG, you can choose the level of compression for your image.Since JPEG images are compressed, you will lose a little bit of informationeach time you edit your file and resave. If you plan on doing a lot of editing,you will eventually notice your image quality degrading.TIFF: This is a very common file format that is not compressed, andtherefore retains complete image detail and quality. This makes TIFF thehighest quality format, which is useful for editing and processing images forpublications. Since the images aren't compressed, the file sizes are typicallymuch larger than JPEGs. A color photograph stored as a TIFF might have afile size of nearly 4 MB after it is scanned.

FileType

Pros Cons Uses

TIFF(.tif)

Doesn'tloseimagedata

Large file size; not good for the web Storingoriginalimages;editingimages;printing

JPEG(.jpg)

Smallerfile size;Standardfor web

JPEGs lose information each time you open, editand save the file, causing image degradation

Storingfinalimages;email/web

Table 2-1: This table compares the TIFF and JPEG formats.

Other formats

If you're planning on using your scanned photos for web design or for insertionin a Windows application, you might want to also save a copy as a GIF, PNG,or BMP, or PDF file.

GIF is a compressed file format suitable for an image that will be used on theweb or on multiple platforms.PNG is a compressed image file format. Like GIF, PNG uses "non-lossycompression," which means all the visual data is saved and restored whenthe file is decompressed.

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BMP (Bitmap) can be a good choice for use in Windows applications; mostWindows programs accept the BMP file type. However, bitmap files tend tobe large.PDF is a versatile file type that can be opened with Adobe Reader. It can beopened by any type of computer or operating system (Windows, Mac, orLinux) and is a great way to preserve text and photos together, or forarchiving documents.

One easy way to make sure your image will work for any occasion is to savethe file as a TIFF first. Your scanned photo will retain maximum image quality,but it will also take up a large amount of hard drive space. You might want toarchive your TIFF files on a CD or external hard drive if space is an issue.

Once you have saved a TIFF to serve as your master copy, you may want tosave another copy of the image as a JPEG. These file formats don't require asmuch room on your computer, and can be easily emailed or used on the web.

A scanned image's resolution can always be reduced but never increased, asshown in Figure 2-8. This means you can use a TIFF (with its high resolutionand large file size) to create a JPEG (lower resolution, smaller file size), but youcan't go the other way and use a JPEG to create a higher resolution TIFF.Once you've down-sampled and decreased resolution and quality, importantinformation about the image is discarded, and merely saving back to TIFFformat won't restore it.

Figure 2-8 shows a TIFF master image and JPEG copies. The TIFF versioncan be retained for archiving and printing; the JPEG is perfect for use in emailor on the web.

Figure 2-8: The TIFF version can be retained for archiving and printing; theJPEG is perfect for use in email or on the web.

One more important basic to consider: the output type.

 

Your output type: color vs. grayscale

One final decision involved the output type of your scan. The HP Scanningsoftware defaults to the output type that is best suited to what you arescanning; in most cases, that will be Millions of colors. But depending on whatyou're scanning and how you intend you use your scan, there are times whenyou'll want to choose other output types, as follows:

Millions of Colors (24-bit): Use this output type for color photos or drawingswith a lot of shading, especially when it will be printed on a color printer,displayed on a color monitor set to millions of colors, or displayed on the weband saved in the .jpg or .png file format (a scanned image with this outputtype cannot be saved as a .gif file).256-Color (8-bit): Use this output type for a color photo or a drawing withshading when you need a small file size. Of the 256-color output types, itprovides the best quality for a single image. The color palette consists of 16basic colors, plus 240 of the most commonly used colors in the image.256-Color (system palette): Use this output type for images to be used in anyway that requires a small file size. Of the 256-color output types, it providesthe best overall quality when simultaneously viewing more than one imageon a computer monitor. This output type is a union of the Microsoft Windowsand web color palettes.256-Color (web palette): Use this output type for images to be saved in .giffile format and displayed on the web.256 Gray Shades (8-bit grayscale): Use this output type for color photos ordrawings with shading that you will print to a black-and-white printer or saveas a black-and-white image; also, for black-and-white photos and drawings

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with shading.Black & White (1-bit): Use this output type for black-and-white drawingswithout shading or for text saved as an image.

Bit is the abbreviation for binary digit, either 0 or a 1. Scanners typically usemultiple bits to represent information about each pixel of an image.

Moving on

Now that you're familiar with scanning a photo, it's time to look at scanningother items such as slides, negatives, and three-dimensional objects. You'llexplore that and more in Lesson 3! If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed at thispoint, you might want to go back to your scanner or All-in-One documentationand work your way through the process. As with any technology, the scanningprocess makes more sense the more you do it, so pick a few items to scan andexperiment with the resolution, photo editing options, and output sizes. If youhave a photo-quality printer at home, you might want to print a few of yourscanned images to determine which scanning resolution is best.

Meanwhile, be sure to complete the assignment and quiz for this lesson. Thenhead over to the Message Board to check in with the instructor and your fellowstudents.

Assignment #2

If you already have a scanner, pick out two different photos to scan. Experiment with some of theenhancements available in the scanner driver, and try dragging the selection border to crop yourphoto. Next, choose a different output size (either larger or smaller), scan and save the files. Feelfree to come discuss your progress on the Message Board.

 

Quiz #2Question 1:True or False: TIFFs are a perfect file format for e-mail and Web use.

A) TrueB) False Question 2:It's a smart strategy to scan at a high resolution, since you can reduce resolution later on for various purposes.

A) TrueB) False Question 3:True or False: You can use common household glass cleaner to keep your scanner glass clean.

A) TrueB) False 

Scanning negatives, slides, documents and moreThis lesson offers tips on scanning photo negatives and slides, as well as three-dimensional objects. You'll alsofind special scanner tips for scrapbookers, quilters and eBay sellers.

 

Photo negative scanning and slide scanning

In Lesson 2, you learned how to scan, fine-tune, and save a photo. Scanningother items is just as easy; you'll just need to make a few minor adjustments. Inthis lesson, we'll take a quick look at scanning slides and negatives and the

special preparation needed. Next, we'll tackle scanning documents to text(OCR, or optical character recognition), scanning 3-D objects and using yourscanner for genealogy projects. Whether you've got a new quilt or an oldstamp, this is the lesson for you. Hopefully by the end of it, you'll becomfortable with what you can (and can't) do with your new machine. If youhaven't already done so, make sure you stop by the Message Board and chatwith your fellow students.

To scan slides and negatives, you'll need a scanner or All-in-One that hasslide and negative-scanning ability. Check the user's manual of yourscanner to see if it has this feature. If you're in the market for a scanner,this scanner buying guide will help you identify a model with the featuresyou need. An All-in-One is often a great choice because it combines thefunctionality of several devices into one, making for a more affordable andless bulky solution.

Figure 3-1: Some HP scanners and All-in-Ones have the ability to scannegatives and slides.

Scanning slides and negatives

To some, slides and negatives might seem like dinosaurs from another era. Butthese media, like photos themselves, often contain wonderful images from thepast.

Figure 3-2: A slide scan in progress.

Enlarge image

If you are scanning negatives, you'll see a positive image in the preview

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window, as you can see in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3: The HP All-in-One can automatically detect if you are scanningnegative, positive (slide) or black & white film.

Enlarge image

There are certain basic things to consider when scanning negatives and slides,including resolution, color support and the file format to use. (Refer to Lesson 2if you need to review resolution, output type or file formats.)

For more information, read the article entitled Learn how to scan 35mm photoslides and negatives.

Resolution and color support

Because a slide or negative image is so small, you'll want to maintain maximumresolution so that the image can be enlarged as needed later. Make sure you'reusing a resolution of at least 2400 dpi when scanning either slides ornegatives.

Regarding color support—your output type—you might want to skip grayscaleand select millions of colors, even when working with black and white film andnegatives. This preserves the best image quality (especially for shadows andmidtones) for future work and output. You can always revert to black and whitelater on using photo editing software, such as Windows Live Photo Gallery.

File format

You should definitely select the highest quality image format available, usuallyTIFF. This ensures the best quality image for future restoration orenlargement.

Here's some good news for photo enthusiasts with a slide/film scanner: Inmany cases, scanning from film can produce a better end result than simplyusing existing prints. You're actually taking over the process of developing thefilm, and you can make crucial corrections in lighting and color that weremissed when the film was first developed. Figure 3-4 shows some of youroptions for improving or adjusting your slide or negative as you scan.

Figure 3-4: As you scan your slide or negative with HP scanning software, youcan improve your image before you save or print.

Enlarge image

Storage space

If you're going to be doing a lot of scanning and plan to save images as high-res TIFFs with millions of possible colors, take a moment and do a little math.Say you scan one slide and select 300 dpi for the resolution (notrecommended), then change the output size to 8x10. You'll you wind up with a17 MB file that takes about 2 minutes to scan.  You may not get the level ofdetail you want, though—it depends what you want to use the enlarged imagefor. At the same file size, you could also create a 4 x 6 TIFF with a resolution of2400 dpi.

If you want to scan a tray of 150 slides, multiply 17 MB by 150 and you cameup with a whopping need for 2.5 GB of disk space. You have plenty of options,fortunately. You can offload files to CDs, DVDs, an external hard drive orpersonal media drive; add hard disk space; or scan at a lower resolution. Youcan also scan slides a few at a time, edit and print them, then delete theoriginal scanned files. Once you start scanning slides and negatives, it's easyto get carried away—so do the math before you start running out of diskspace!

Protect your originals

If you scan enough slides or negative sliding, you'll eventually be plagued bydust and other debris that cling to your media for dear life. Make sure you'vegot some compressed air and an anti-static photo brush or lint-free cloth tokeep your work free of these tiny little menaces.

Now let's take a look at scanning 3-D objects.

 

Beyond flat: scanning 3-D objects

Now that you're comfortable scanning photos, slides, film, and documents, youcan move onto some of your lumpier and bumpier items. Anything from coins toquilts can be scanned with a bit of preparation. Whether you're selling on eBay,documenting your collections for insurance purposes or including familyheirlooms on your scrapbook pages, a scanner is an indispensable tool for anycollector.

Scanning tips for online auctions

If you've ever tried to sell anything on an online auction such as eBay, you

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know that a picture is worth a thousand words. It's easy enough to photographa dress or an antique vase, but small items such as jewelry and coins can betricky. Even with a good digital camera, you might be losing some of the finedetail that you can capture with a scanner, as shown in Figure 3-5 and 3-6. Toscan a small flat item, simply place it face-down on the scanner glass, just asyou would with a photo. The flatter your object is, the better the scan, althoughyou'll be surprised at how good three-dimensional scanned images can look.

Figure 3-5: You can get up close and personal with small objects when you usea scanner.

Scanners are particularly useful for scanning small objects that are too tiny fora standard digital camera to focus on. No more blurry close-ups to worryabout—just place it on your glass and scan! If you want a white background,you can put a piece of paper on top of your item, or close the scanner lid. For ablack background, you can use black paper, or simply leave the scanner lidopen as you perform the scan.

Figure 3-6: A standard digital camera would have trouble matching this level ofdetail.

Figures 3-5 and 3-6 were scanned on the same scanner. What's thedifference? Contrast. By turning up the contrast and brightness, you caneliminate the background (in this case a scanner lid).

The proper care and feeding of your scanner

The flatbed glass is essentially the lens through which the scanner sees. Like apair of glasses, it does no good if the surface is stained or scratched. Thescanner picks up great detail—including tiny bits of dust, pet hair or scratchesthat may be invisible to the naked eye. Scanners are fragile, so be verycautious about what you place on the bed. If dust gets under the glass or theglass is scratched, it's generally less expensive to buy a new scanner than it isto remove the dust or replace the glass. If you plan on scanning items that canscratch the scanner bed (seashells or paperclips) or leave a sticky residue (sapfrom leaves or glue from children's art projects), it's a good idea to protect theglass with a transparency or sheet protector. You can also clean the scanner

bed with a bit of glass cleaner sprayed on a lint-free cloth, as you learned inLesson 1.

HP photo scanners and Photosmart All-in-Ones now come with scanningsoftware that actually removes dust and scratches from scans. It's easy todo! In Preview mode, just click Auto Correct Photos, then check the boxthat says Perform Dust & Scratch Removal.

Scanning for scrapbooking

If you create scrapbook pages, you may have often wished you could includesome memorabilia from your past or souvenirs from a recent vacation on yourlayout. Naturally, you won't want put Grandma's pearl necklace or seashellsfrom Florida directly on a scrapbook layout. These items can causeconsiderable damage to your layouts and photos, and would probably makeyour album too bulky to carry. Here's where your scanner can really make yourscrapbook layouts shine—you can scan those items and print out the digitalimages to place on your page, adding a personal touch that just can't beduplicated with store-bought embellishments.

Make your own background paper

If you have a scanner, you can even make your own personalized backgroundpaper. You've probably seen paper in the stores with photos of breakfastcereal, or lacy fabric, or toy cars. Why not make your own paper, and featurethe cereal your kids eat every morning, your mother's wedding dress, or the toycars your husband collects? You can quickly and easily make your very owndigital background paper by placing these items on the scanner bed andscanning as you would an ordinary photo. Here are just a few ideas to get yourcreative juices flowing:

Children's artworkHalloween candyA favorite team sports jerseyYour daughter's christening dressSome of your favorite books or moviesArt supplies like crayons, markers, or paintsToy cars or trucksBirthday party decorations (confetti, candles, gift wrap)Scrapbook supplies (buttons, eyelets, tags)Fall leaves from the trees in your yardShells you collected on the beach

Figure 3-7: Creative scanning at work: roses.

There are so many advantages to scanning items to use in your scrapbooks:

In addition to creating a personal keepsake that is easily stored in youralbum, you'll also want to make sure your scrapbook is safe for generationsto come by printing your images on high quality acid-free archival photopaper. Instead of putting old newspaper clippings directly on a layout, scanthem (use the photo setting instead of text) and reprint the scanned article.You can adjust and resize your scanned image so that it fits perfectly onyour layout. If you want to use a scrapbook embellishment that is too largefor your page, simply scan it, reduce the size and reprint the image. You caneven add a title or some journaling to the item before you print, or changethe color!Maybe you love the look of lumpy and bumpy elements such as paperflowers, chipboard letters, eyelets or buttons, but you worry about theseitems damaging your layouts (either because they aren't archival, or becausethey might create indentations on your pages). Try scanning these elementsand reprinting them so they are completely flat—you won't believe howthree-dimensional they look once you adhere them to your layout!

Figure 3-8: Creative scanning at work: scrapbook supplies.

There are some special considerations when you're scanning items forscrapbooking. Most scanner lids will "float" a bit above the scanner bed if youneed to scan items that are too bulky for the lid to close normally. But thisallows light to come in from the edges, causing shadows which can ruin thescan. You can fix this by covering the scanner with a cloth. Put your items onthe scanner bed, close the lid as best as you can, and then drape the cloth ontop of the closed lid to prevent the items on the bed from being exposed to anyoutside light. You'll still get a bit of a shadow with bulky objects, but that's partof what makes them appear three-dimensional!

For more information, read the article entitled 3-D scanning tips.

Scanning layouts

In addition to scanning parts and pieces to use on your scrapbook page, youmight want to scan the entire layout! Perhaps you've stressed over which kidwas going to get your hand-crafted album, or you've tried to make copies ofyour heritage layouts for a family member. Or maybe you're simply interested inmaking copies of your album pages to submit to a magazine, store contest oronline message board. You can scan your layouts just as you would any 3-Ditem, and then print out an identical copy.

Stitching scanned layouts and other oversized items

If your layouts are 12 x 12 inches, your page probably won't fit on a standardletter-sized scanner. You will probably need to scan the left side of your layout,then scan the right side (in some cases, you might need to scan all fourcorners). You want plenty of overlap in the scanned images. Once you'vescanned in your layout in pieces, you can use stitching software that willdigitally piece the halves (or quadrants) back together again. One popularoption is Arcsoft's Scan and Stitch software, available from arcsoft.com. Somegraphic-editing programs such as Photoshop Elements also have the ability tostitch images together.

Don't limit yourself to scrapbook layouts when it comes to stitching—you canuse the software to scan and piece together oversized item—artwork, fabric,certificates and more.

If you don't care to purchase yet another piece of software to help you with yourscrapbooking, worry no more. Even an application like Microsoft Word has theability to create HTML (hypertext markup language) pages that can be used inscrapbooking. HTML, also used to build Web pages on the Internet, can beused by anyone with a text editor and Internet Explorer. You can build thescrapbook in Word, convert it to HTML, and like magic, your digital scrapbookis ready. Now your memorabilia, like that shown in Figure 3-9, can be posted ormailed to anyone anywhere in the world.

Figure 3-9: Nearly any memorabilia can be brought into the digital age.

Preserve artwork

Finally, be sure to preserve your children's artwork for posterity—especiallythree-dimensional pieces like the one shown in Figure 3-10! Construction paperand paste aren't terribly archival, so it's a good idea to create a digital file ofthose works of art. Scanning not only saves your child's precious handiwork forgenerations to come, you might even be able to recycle or give away some ofthe artwork once it's been scanned in.

Figure 3-10: You'll be glad in later years that you scanned your children'sartwork.

For more information, read the article entitled Scanning and sharing children'sartwork.

Moving on

By now, you should be comfortable scanning a wide range of documents andobjects on your machine. If you're not, keep at it. If you are, it's time to move onto a discussion about what exactly you're supposed to do with all of these files.In Lesson 4 you'll learn some tips for scanning documents and memorabilia,and discover great ways to organize and share your files with the world.

For now, be sure to complete the quiz and assignment before starting the nextlesson. And, as always, pay a visit to the Message Board—everyone's bound tohave something to talk about now.

Assignment #3

If you already have a scanner, use it to scan a minimum of two three-dimensional objects. Tryputting a piece of paper on top of the objects, then perform a scan with the lid open so you get ablack background. Feel free to come discuss your progress on the Message Board and sharequestions, progress, tips and creative ideas.

 

Quiz #3Question 1:True or False: You can use any scanner to scan slides or negatives.

A) TrueB) False Question 2:The suggested dpi for scanning slides and negatives is:

A) 150B) 600C) 1200D) 2400 Question 3:True or False: Most digital cameras can take better close-up images than a scanner.

A) TrueB) False 

Reduce paper clutter and manage your documents digitallyLearn tips and ideas for reducing paper clutter by scanning your documents for easy digital storage. You'll alsolearn how to scan newspaper articles, create PDFs as you scan (if your scanner has that feature), use OCR,scan genealogy and family history projects and more.

 

Reduce your paper clutter

In this final lesson, you'll learn a few tips for cutting down on the paper clutterby scanning important files, and discover some ideas for improving scannedmemorabilia such as yellowed newspapers or faded paper documents. Finally,you'll learn what to do with all your newly scanned files. How can you share,organize and manage them? How about some creative ideas for putting yourwonderful images to work? Whether you're building a personal archive ofimportant documents or just want to share some of the images you've managedto bring into the digital world, it's important to make sure your files are easy tofind.

Whether you're trying to control an overflowing file cabinet or you merely wantto archive your important documents, a scanner can help you cut down onsome of your paper clutter while making those files easily accessible. As longas you have a system for organizing your files on your computer or CD/DVDs,you can find any document in a matter of seconds! You'll learn a few methodsfor organizing your scanned files later on in this lesson.

When you're deciding what you should scan, ask yourself if you could livewithout the paper copy. Remember—you can always print out a copy of yourscanned image if you need to! You'll probably be safe scanning most of yourpaper files and throwing away or shredding the originals, as long as you caneasily print or email the scanned files if you need to. For a few importantdocuments, you'll want to keep the original and use the scanned file for backup.Take a look at a few documents you might want to consider scanning:

Important personal documents such as birth certificates, marriagecertificates and professional licensesTax files, including annual tax returns, important receipts and financialdocumentsMedical records and insurance informationJob-related information such as certifications, resumes, performance reviewsand letters of referenceSchool projects, report cards, test scores and transcriptsReceipts and plans for home-improvement projectsMonthly bank and credit card statements (if you don't receive them online)Recipes or other articles you've clipped from the newspaper or a magazineWarranties and instruction manuals (check first to see if they are availableonline)The contents of your wallet—having a copy of credit cards, insurance

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information and your driver's license can really come in handy in case yourwallet is ever lost or stolen.

Technical considerations

Once you've decided which papers to scan, just follow the steps for scanningthat were covered in Lesson 2. You don't need a lot of detail when scanningmost documents. Usually you can scan straight to PDF or JPEG, and aresolution of either 300 DPI (for reprinting) or 100 DPI (for viewing on acomputer) is sufficient. You can also choose grayscale, unless you want toretain any colorful graphics on your receipts or reports.

If you have a scanner with an automatic document feeder, such as the oneshown in Figure 4-1, smooth out your papers and remove any staples orpaperclips before sending them through the feeders. Smaller or oddly shapeditems such as receipts need to be scanned by opening the lid and laying theitem flat on the glass.

If you're planning on scanning cabinets or boxes full of papers, you might wantto invest in a scanner with an automatic document feeder (ADF) to help youspeed through the process. HP has a number of document scanners that canquickly turn your paper clutter into organized digital files. Many HP All-in-Onesoffer ADF functionality—check the All-in-One buying guide to locate the bestmachine for your needs.

Figure 4-1: A scanner with an automatic document feeder can quickly turn pilesof paper into digital files.

Next, you'll need to decide whether or not you want to edit the documentsyou're scanning. If you don't plan on editing your files, scan them as a PDF.This file type can be opened and viewed on any computer, and is perfect forgraphics as well as text. Since saving your document as a PDF essentiallyturns your text into an image, you don't need to worry about having specificfonts installed in order to view the file.

For files that you might want to edit later on (recipes or work projects, forexample), you can use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software toconvert your printed text into digital text. Next, we'll take an in-depth look atscanning text with OCR.

 

Scanning text with OCR

OCR (optical character recognition) software converts images to text that youcan edit, copy, or send. It's a great way to get old documents, recipes, andtexts into a format that's ultimately more usable. Additionally, scanning text asimages takes up lots of hard drive space; converting those images into text files(via OCR) takes up hardly any space at all.

To learn more about how scanning can save your documents and save shelfspace, be sure to read Manage your documents with a scanner.

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The software

Some scanners come with OCR software on the installation CD. If yourscanner doesn't have OCR software, you can purchase it separately. GoodOCR software should be able to:

Process text from your scanner or saved filesAllow you to manually select text on a page for processingLearn new words and phrasesOutput to a variety of text formats, including Microsoft Word and plain text

The process

The OCR software starts by looking at your text as a picture. It compares eachletter to its own internal database and matches it to a letter. Once the processis complete, the end result is a text file you can edit and save. You can evenset the software to mark questionable text with a special character (such as # )so editing is a breeze. Simply search the document for each occurrence of thespecial character and make your edits.

Optimizing your OCR experience

There are some things you can do to improve your OCR scanning.

How fast can you type? Handling OCR files does require a bit of closeediting to look for and repair mistakes. If you're a fast typist, it might bequicker to simply retype the text into a word processing application. This isespecially true for text that may not be easily recognizable to the software,such as the scan shown in Figure 4-2.

Figure 4-2: Trying to scan directly from this file may present some problems tothe OCR software.

Contrast is important: Good contrast is important for optimum OCRperformance. Make sure you start with a crisp black and white image, likethe one shown in Figure 4-3, before beginning. You may have to use yoursoftware to enhance the contrast and brightness of the image.

Figure 4-3: This image should do much better.Stay straight: Make sure your document is straightly aligned on the scanner

bed. Crooked scans throw off the software, and you might get a bunch ofnonsense in return.

Once you scan your image following these recommendations, run your OCRsoftware to create an editable text file, like that shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4: This is the end result: a text file in Microsoft Word.

OCR software functionality has improved significantly since its introduction.Although no OCR application is 100 percent accurate, it's getting prettyclose.

Once you've scanned your important papers, you'll definitely want to back themup on a CD/DVD, external hard drive, or online. Saving your information inmore than one location is especially important, since you'll need to get yourhands on your personal information in case of a fire or natural disaster. We'lldiscussing backing up your files in more detail later on in this lesson. If youhave any family members that may need access to your documents, it's a goodidea to send them the pertinent files as you scan them—that way they'll haveeasy access in case you're away from home and need important information.Scanning your important papers keeps your essential information right at yourfingertips, saving you time and space in your file cabinets.

Next up, we'll take a look at some scanning tips for the family historian.

 

Digital roots and family history: new genealogy tools

The internet has revolutionized the art and science of genealogy. Never beforehas so much information been available for research and study. Millions ofpeople around the world are figuring out where they're from and getting in touchwith old customs and traditions. So how can a scanner help? If you're agenealogy enthusiast, you probably already have a few ideas. If not, here are afew to get you started.

Build a multimedia family tree

Family trees used to be just names. How about adding faces? Scanning in oldphotographs can bring long forgotten-ancestors to life. And don't stop withpictures. Immigration papers, maps, birth certificates, memorial cards andcorrespondence are perfect candidates for scanning. You can also illustrateyour online family tree or family history website with your scanned photos anddocuments.

Rediscover lost images

If you managed to inherit a box of negatives you never knew what to do with,now's a good opportunity to start exploring. If your scanner can handle film ornegatives, how about searching your archives for images that have been

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forgotten over the passage of time?

Share your research

A scanner is invaluable for scanning fragile family photos, letters, anddocuments for preservation and sharing. For family history buffs, an All-in-Onethat can generate high-quality copies of your research as well as print photos isan essential tool. You will want to print out the census record data, family groupsheets, copies of genealogy reports, e-mail correspondence and results of youronline research. Family group sheets can be downloaded free from a numberof Web sites—such as Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org (from the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' Web site), and other sources—and can befilled out by hand or typed as you need them.

If you have one of a number of popular genealogical programs, such as FamilyTree Maker, Legacy, The Master Genealogist or Personal Ancestral File(available free from www.familysearch.org)—you can store your family data onyour computer and generate new family group sheets whenever you needthem.

The scanner or copier function of your All-in-One lets you capture photos anddocuments that other family members will only part with for a few moments.You can also make multiple copies of your research to share with researchersand family members.

Share your discoveries with the world

Once you've digitized your history, it's time to share it. Whether you want tobuild a custom family website or simply put together a digital scrapbook, a goodscanner makes the job easy. While digital cameras help capture the now, ascanner is helpful to look back and reflect on the past.

Three-dimensional memories

You already learned a little about scanning three-dimensional objects. Whatimpact might this have on your genealogy work? How about scanning militarymedals, family quilts (as shown in Figure 4-5) or other keepsakes? It's a greatway to bring history to life for new generations.

Figure 4-5: Now this hand-stitched quilt can be shared without it ever leavingthe house.

Scanning tips for heirloom photos and documents

Fragile album pages, yellowed newspaper articles or faded photos can pose achallenge for any genealogist. Now that you're familiar with the basics ofscanning photos, 3D items and documents, you'll just need to learn some tricksfor scanning these tricky items. Here a few tips for some of the most commonissues:

If you have photos in a deteriorating album, it's a good idea to scan thosepictures before you lose them for good! If your photos are in good shape,you can use a length of dental floss or thin piece of string to gently wiggleunderneath the photos to pry them up. There's also a product called Undo,which dissolves adhesives without harming the photo. When all else failsand you're photos appear permanently bonded in the album, or if you'reworking with especially fragile items, simply scan the entire album page, anduse the selection border to define the areas that you want to scan.Faded photos can be greatly improved by using the Lighten / Darken,Sharpen and Color Adjustment settings in the scanner software. With just afew clicks of your mouse, you can bring back details that you thought werelost forever, as shown in Figure 4-6. Photo editing software such asPhotosmart Essential can improve your scanned image even more.

Figure 4-6: Bring faded photos back to life using the adjustments in yourscanner software.

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Yellowing newspaper articles can be returned to black and white byscanning them in grayscale mode. Take a look at Figure 4-7 to see thedifference between scanning in color and grayscale mode.

Figure 4-7: Revive yellowed newspaper articles by scanning in grayscalemode.

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Loose, fragile items may fare better if you place them on a plain piece ofarchival paper before you scan them. If pieces have torn off, replace them asbest as you can using archival, acid-free adhesive.

By keeping these tips in mind as you scan your family's memorabilia, you'll bepreserving these items for generations to come.

Next, you'll learn how to organize and find your scanned items once they're onyour computer.

 

Organize and find your scanned files

If you're planning on scanning a large number of photos or documents, you'llneed some sort of system on your computer so that you can sort and locateyour files when you need them. It's a good idea to set up some folders beforeyou start scanning. If you learn one thing now, it's the importance of startingearly and following your system as you scan. You can create folders andorganize your files at any point in the process, but waiting until you havehundreds of scans accumulated almost guarantees you won't get around to it. Ifyou have Windows Vista, you can take advantage of its tagging system toeasily label and find your files. Let's examine a few methods for organizing yourscanned photos and documents.

Use folders to organize your files

Use Windows Explorer to set up folders for your scanned documents andphotos. You probably already have a folder for your pictures, and you can addsubfolders according to year, month, and event, as shown in Figure 4-7 on theprevious page. Adding the number before each month keeps them in the rightorder (otherwise, Windows would alphabetize them). Instead of folders fordifferent events, you might want use the date the photos were taken. If you'redealing with photos and documents from many years ago, it might not bepossible to narrow down the year, much less the month. In that case, you mightwant to organize your folders by the person (NeilChildhood;MaryAndersonWedding), decade (1940), or subject (Christmas; WorldWarII).

Documents can be organized the same way—just set up folders for each type(Medical, Taxes, etc), and create subfolders as you need them. You might wantto create a subfolder under your Medical folder for each family member, forexample. There's no right or wrong way of organizing your folders, so just picka method that fits your files and the way you typically search for things.

Figure 4-8: Folders help keep your scanned photos organized and accessible.

Name your images

Even though it's tempting to simply assign a number to your scanned files, it'sworth your while to give your scanned images a meaningful name. It makes thefile much easier to find, and may provide an important piece of information lateron (just in case you forget in a few years why you scanned the item in the firstplace). If you already have your files organized into folders, you can stick to apretty basic naming convention. A quilting pattern inspired by a traditionalAmish design might be in your QuiltingPattern folder, and named Amish_01.We'll add the 01 in just in case you end up with other images that meet thesame criteria. If that's not specific enough, you can always add another layer ofdetail, as in Genealogy_ImmigrationDocs_Bartezzi_Paolo_Citizenship.

If you're scanning a large number of documents or a book, include the pagenumber in the title. Start general and work your way down to specific.Aunt_Sally_1911_Diary_Page_11 makes more sense thanPage_10_Military_Record_Frank_Capra. Not only does it make logical sense,

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it'll be easier on your eyes when you're viewing an entire directory of images.

Tagging photos in Windows Vista

If you have Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows Vista, you can labelyour photos using tags. Open Windows Explorer and find the file you want totag. At the bottom of the window, you'll see details about the file, including thefile type, the date the photo was taken and tags. You can click to change or addinformation. If you scanned a photo, you can add the date the picture wastaken (if known). Tags are essentially searchable labels—you can addinformation about who is in the photo, where it was taken or any otherimportant details, as shown in Figure 4-9. Once you've added your tags, besure to click the Save button to save them.

Figure 4-9: Tags make it easy to find related items.

Now for the best part—once you've tagged your files, you can search for themby tag. Let's say that you've tagged all of your photos, and want to find all yourphotos of your Aunt Mary. When you use Vista's search feature, you can put"tag:Aunt Mary" in the search field to find all the photos that you've tagged withAunt Mary, no matter what folder they're in. If you want to find all the photosthat have both Aunt Mary and Uncle Fred, simply search for "tag:Aunt Marytag:Uncle Fred."

Next, find out how to back up your scanned images.

 

Back up important files

There's nothing worse than having important files disappear. Whether yourhard drive goes down or somebody decides to accidentally delete something,hours of work can be lost in an instant. If you're planning to build a collection ofimportant images, you need to have a plan to make sure those files stay safeand secure. Here are some options for backing up those files:

CD (compact disc): These discs are popular and widely available for backingup and storing all sorts of media. Blank CDs are inexpensive and can holdaround 650 MB, which is quite a few high quality images. Even better, mostnew computers are equipped with a CD-R (CD-recordable) or CD-RW (CD-rewritable) drive, so most people already have the equipment they need. Thedownside is: Keeping all of your discs organized is an additional challenge.As well all know, CDs can break or chip or otherwise fail. You may also haveto buy the appropriate hardware for burning discs.DVD (digital video disc): This type of disc was once used primarily formovies, but its larger storage capacity makes it great for storing any digitaldata. DVDs hold many times the amount of data that can be put on a CD(around 4.7 GB). Many new computers have a DVD-R drives, so most canplay DVDs as well as record to them. The downside is the same as for CDs.External hard drive: Nearly all computers have an internal (built-in) harddrive that's typically referred to as drive C. This is where the programs, dataand photos are stored on your computer. You can purchase hard drives thatreside outside the computer and connect to the computer using a USB orother connection cable. This can instantly multiply the number of images youcan store. The downside is: Any hard drive, internal or external, can fail. Youmay consider using a combination of two methods, storing images on anexternal hard drive that is then backed up on CD/DVD.

The HP Personal Media Drive is a compact, portable storage device that letsyou take your digital media with you wherever you go. It doubles as a safe,

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easy-to-use backup solution.

Online storage: Snapfish.com is a free service that now allows you to backup selected files to their servers. You can have prints made whenever you'dlike, freeing you from worrying about what will happen if something happensto your photos. You can also order wonderful, personalized gifts made fromphotos through the Snapfish store, including a wide variety of customizedphoto books.

Next, find out how to use your scanned images in creative projects from theCreative Studio.

 

Getting creative at the HP Creative Studio

If you're looking for creative ways to use your new images, look no further thanthe HP Creative Studio. It offers templates for everything from business cardsto gift wrap. Simply plug in your images, add a little text, and you're soonproducing custom documents and gifts that help share your passions andinterests. The project list is always being updated and expanded, so checkback often.

Here are the project categories you'll find at the HP Creative Studio:

Photographs & ScrapbooksCards & StationeryCalendarsPhoto Frames & BordersDIY Photo GiftsIron-ons & FabricsToys & GamesParty Kits & DecorationsGift Tags, Boxes & WrapsPostersHome Business

If you're a design novice or just not a fan of technology in general, don't fret. Allof the Creative Studio projects are easy to use, and any software required isfree for the downloading. Additionally, many projects let you edit your photos aspart of the project. All you'll need to bring is your idea and your pictures.

And if you'd like to see what others are creating and sharing, be sure to checkout the HP Community Wiki. (A wiki is a website that you can help build byadding a page, uploading a photo or simply sharing a favorite tip that will helpothers.) The HP Community Wiki is a great place to get ideas for scrapbooksand fabric crafts, see how photos can be used to create gifts and memorabletreasures in 15 minutes or less, and lots more.

A final word

We've covered a lot of ground in just a few lessons. If your head is spinning,that's natural! Although this technology is easy to use, it does take a littlepatience and determination to get started. Hopefully this class has given youexactly that, as well as some great ideas on what to do with all of your fantasticscans once they're produced.

Be sure to do the final assignment and take the quiz for this lesson. From there,visit the Message Board. It's still open, so you've got plenty of time to catch upwith your fellow students and the instructor. It's a great place to ask questions,share good ideas and learn how other people are using their scanners to sharetheir lives and interests with the world.

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Assignment #4

Set up a free Snapfish account and populate it with images. You can use a combination of picturesfrom your digital camera and scanned images. Note that you can perform some basic photo editingfunctions in Snapfish. And while you're there, be sure to take a look at the personalized gifts youcan make from photos through the Snapfish store.

 

Quiz #4Question 1:True or False: You must take photos out of an album in order to scan them.

A) TrueB) False Question 2:True or False: Snapfish is a great way to share your photos with the world, but you'll still have to go to a photolab to get prints.

A) TrueB) False Question 3:True or False: If you're using Microsoft Vista, you can use tags to search for specific keywords that you'veassigned to your photos, even if they're in different folders

A) TrueB) False 

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