By Lynda Ratliff
Photos have a strong value in keeping important moments alive for individuals and families for years after the moment has passed. The problem with older photographs is that in time they fade or decay as the chemicals and paper age. With modern technology people are digitizing photos so they can keep those moments for the future.
Using a scanner and a computer you can make a digital copy of a photograph that can be stored in several locations or printed out. On a personal computer you can also use software to repair the images and fill in any rips or spots. There is even some software that is being developed to allow smartphones to be able to copy pictures. Regardless of what tool you use the pictures can be saved in a form that will allow you to preserve these images.
The most important component to get is a higher quality scanner to digitize your photographs. A modern unit should have a USB 2.0 connection and the ability to capture an image at a high resolution. If you want to preserve negatives some higher level scanners have add ons that allow you to do that. Look for a flatbed scanner that can handle letter size documents or if you are preserving portraits a legal sized scanner would be best.
While many scanners can capture and store images it is still a good option to have a PC or Mac for this project. Several photo editing packages can be bought that allow you to correct errors and defects that will appear on aged photos. Using the scanned image it can be enhanced and cleared up before it becomes part of your permanent collection. In addition it is easier to email that restored photo to grandma from a computer.
After you have created the digital copies the last thing you should do is store the images to a few different locations. Do not have only one location where everything is stored without a backup. It can be to a online backup, to an external hard drive or be burned to a DVD but have a copy or two in case you have a problem with your original storage space.
Memories can not be replaced but they can be copied for the future. The effort and cost of digitizing photos is minimum compared to the alternative of losing some precious memories. It is easy to get the tools and to take the simple steps that will let you keep the pictures of your life safe.
Using a scanner and a computer you can make a digital copy of a photograph that can be stored in several locations or printed out. On a personal computer you can also use software to repair the images and fill in any rips or spots. There is even some software that is being developed to allow smartphones to be able to copy pictures. Regardless of what tool you use the pictures can be saved in a form that will allow you to preserve these images.
The most important component to get is a higher quality scanner to digitize your photographs. A modern unit should have a USB 2.0 connection and the ability to capture an image at a high resolution. If you want to preserve negatives some higher level scanners have add ons that allow you to do that. Look for a flatbed scanner that can handle letter size documents or if you are preserving portraits a legal sized scanner would be best.
While many scanners can capture and store images it is still a good option to have a PC or Mac for this project. Several photo editing packages can be bought that allow you to correct errors and defects that will appear on aged photos. Using the scanned image it can be enhanced and cleared up before it becomes part of your permanent collection. In addition it is easier to email that restored photo to grandma from a computer.
After you have created the digital copies the last thing you should do is store the images to a few different locations. Do not have only one location where everything is stored without a backup. It can be to a online backup, to an external hard drive or be burned to a DVD but have a copy or two in case you have a problem with your original storage space.
Memories can not be replaced but they can be copied for the future. The effort and cost of digitizing photos is minimum compared to the alternative of losing some precious memories. It is easy to get the tools and to take the simple steps that will let you keep the pictures of your life safe.