Quality is the foundation upon which E-Z Photo Scan builds its legacy of service for its clients. And, quality in scanning of photographs begins with careful detail to the 3-steps of proper scanning preparation.
1. Right Tools-Right Now
E-Z Photo Scan understands how important it is to have all the appropriate tools readily available before ever starting!
In fact, our professionals start every scanning project with a fully equipped Prep Kit containing nearly 3 dozen items that may be needed in scanner or image preparation.
The fact is tools used to prepare the scanner and photographs are items familiar to most everyone. Yet, without some planning it is certain most of them would not be readily found available in a typical setting.
Proper planning and organization goes a very long way in making sure the right tool is available right now! Doing so, helps to ensure quality scanning of your photographs or other treasured documents.
"Give us the tools, and we will finish the job" ~ Winston Churchill
2. Equipment Preparation
World-class companies understand "Predict and Prevent" preparation is smart business.
E-Z Photo Scan has adopted this approach to its equipment asset management solutions. Instead of a reactive "Fail and Fix" approach, E-Z Photo Scan reduces downtime and provides the ability to look ahead by closely watching equipment performance and machine wear.
The main purpose of proper preparation is to ensure that all equipment required for production is operating at 100% efficiency at all times. Through routine pre-scan inspections and cleanings, minor problems can be detected and corrected before they become a major problem that can shut down a production line, or worse.
E-Z Photo Scan's team properly inspects and prepares the computer and scanning equipment to be used before the start of each project. In addition, routine maintenance schedules are maintained with repairs always performed by trained service personnel using OEM approved replacement components.
Equipment prep includes computer monitors surveyed for output, brightness and display quality. Scanners have their scan path cleaned according to manufacturer's specifications to avoid the possibility of 'streaking' or 'stray-artifacts''. Scanning quality is tested, using an 8"x10" duplex test pattern measuring color depth, resolution and gray scale output.
E-Z Photo Scan's equipment preparation program has company-wide support by everyone ranging from its top executives to each scanning professional on the production floor.
"If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves. You can gain more control over your life by paying closer attention to the little things". ~ Emily Elizabeth Dickinson
3. Photograph Preparation
The third step is especially important. Professionals at E-Z Photo Scan have sub-divided the proper photograph preparation techniques into these 6 categories:
Handling - Even clean skin can leave natural skin oil secretions that can damage a photo over time. E-Z Photo Scan professionals always wear special cotton gloves designed for handling photos while working on any scanning project.
Removal - Individual photographs are stored in everything from beautifully crafted albums to crammed into grocery bags. No matter how they are presented to E-Z Photo Scan, our professionals understand these photographs represent once-in-a-lifetime memories. Whether being removed from an album using especially selected tools to eliminate the potential of tears and creases, or out of a bag, each photograph is treated with respect and tender loving care.
"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" ~ John Wooden
Scanning Photos with Kodak Innovation
Scanners do their job of scanning at different speeds and in various ways.
Another way of thinking about detail is in terms of resolution.
Resolution can be best described as the detail in pictures making it capable of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects. In reality, resolution is more about the density of picture elements, better known as pixels, within a defined or measured area.
Pixels are the smallest piece of digital picture and have been referred to as the picture’s building blocks. In fact, digital cameras are generally rated in terms of the millions of pixels (megapixels) a specific type can capture. The higher the megapixel rating, the greater number of these individual building blocks can be captured.
When considering the scanning of paper photographs into digital pictures that can be stored, shared and used to connect with others electronically, it is this same concept of resolution that plays such an important role in resulting detail of each scanned images. More pixels per inch (PPI) relates to more detail a scanner captures.
For instance, here is a photo is scanned at low resolution meaning fewer pixels per inch were captured.
Figure 1: Low Resolution Scanned Image (100 pixels per inch)
Notice when the same photo is scanned it becomes much more detailed, when scanned at a medium resolution setting.
Figure 2: Medium Resolution Scanned Image (300 pixels per inch)
Using a high resolution setting to scan the photography results in even more detail be made visible.
Figure 3: High Resolution Scanned Image (600 pixels per inch)
E-Z Photo Scan encourages the practice of high resolution scanning of photographs by providing all scanned photographs at the higher pixel per inch capture rate. This makes it possible for its clients to enlarge, zoom in, or create premium products such as photo books, collages, Picture Movie DVD's, or more and be assured of a high degree of detail.
To learn more about how details really do create the picture view this video.
Creating the Image File
Three steps in creating the image file
Quality check
Alignment
Exposure
Streak, dust & debris analysis
Color enhancement - improve the color depth of the original
Save the file
Format
Type of graphic file
Compression
Media
Preservation media
Other memory options
Organizing & Storing Scanned Photos
Locating photographic files.
Preserve as physically presented
Organize using various methods (file name, software, online social networking applications, or other cloud computing options)
