Scan~Do Attitude
Scanning old family photos and documents yields multiple benefits. It creates a digital copy for long-term preservation, and (with digital backup copies) you can edit and improve the image—more on this on page 22.
You can also organize your digital images for easy searching, attach them to ancestor profiles in your genealogy software and online family trees, post them on Facebook <www.facebook.com> and share them via email.
But scanning isn’t always simple, especially if you’re facing piles and piles of photos or outdated formats such as negatives or slides. Here are solutions to four common challenges when scanning family photos and documents.
HOW DO I SCAN OVERSIZED ITEMS?
Most typical flatbed scanners can handle items up to about 8.5x11.75 inches; larger scanners aren’t worth the investment if you have only a few big items to scan. You could use your camera or cellphone to take a picture of the oversize photograph or document, but it can be hard to get the lighting and angle just right.
A simpler and more economical solution? Scan the item in parts, then stitch the scanned files together to create a single document or image. Most commercial
