I desperately need help when scanning. What resolution, size, etc. should I select so my file size isn't too large. I'm setting up an on-line photo album to share but my pictures are either too big or too fuzzy.
I'd appreciate anyone out there (Glenn, Michael) who can walk me through this.
Sue

[This message has been edited by Sue Gillen (edited July 11, 2001).]

Sue,

A few questions:

1) Are you setting up on your own web page or someone else's? (e.g. Webshots, photos.epson, etc)

2) If you are using someone else's site, does it have requirements as to minimum and maximum sizes?

3) Are you using a negative/slide scanner or a flat bed scanner?

Let us know and we'll see if we can help.

Glenn

Glenn,I'm using photos.yahoo.com for my photo album, and a paperport scanner. There is an upper limit to the file size, but it's rather large, so I don't think it will affect my scanning.
I scanned several photos last evening using 200x200 dpi, 24 bit color(fast) and posted them at the site below. Check it out and see if there is something I should work on. (I played with brightness, tint, etc. but couldn't seem to duplicate the photo I was scanning!) With practice and some guidance, I know I can improve!
Sue
http://photos.yahoo.com/sue_gillen

Sue,

Love that learning curve on all of this. I started scanning my pictures earlier this year and shelved the project after doing 100+. The more you do, the better you get. I learned so much that I decided to go back and rescan and remanipulate (photo edit) most of my early scans.

Check out this discussion that Glenn started some months back. There are a lot of good points brought out as well as some really good references to websites about scanning. http://www.trafbb.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000012.html

I too am using a Paperport scanner. Off the top of my head, I believe I scanned at either 300 or 600 dpi, manipulated colors, brightness, sharpness, etc., and saved the files in the TIFF format. The game plan was at the end to go back and resave each as a JPEG for posting on the web. Seems like I saved the original scan as a TIFF as well as saving the manipulated scan the same way. TIFFs make for some BIG files, by the way. I put some on Zip disks as I was too rapidly filling my hard disk. Since then, I've added a couple more (much bigger) hard disks and a CD-R. When I get back to it, I'll start saving scans (once I'm satisfied with both the scan and the manipulations) to CDs.

What photoediting software are you using? If it was the freebie that came with the scanner, you might want to consider buying something else. PhotoShop is the expensive one. Several others under $100 are Corel Draw (which I think Glenn uses), JASC Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft Picture It, Micrografx Picture Publisher 8 (which I use){also available as part of their Webtricity package}, and Ulead PhotoImpact. Here's a link to some reviews of software. http://www.pcphotoreview.com/reviews/ Look at both the consumer editing and pro editing under Imaging Software and sort by ratings. The prices are possibly off a bit (as my Picture Publisher/Webtricity cost me about $49, not $149). For other opinions, epinions reviews are here: http://www.epinions.com/cmsw-Software-All-Creativity_application_Category-Image_Editing_Subcategory/show_~more_topn/tk_~TB003.1.15

I also can't usually get my colors to exactly match my prints (but then again the colors on the prints often differ somewhat from reality). Towards the end, I could scan, manipulate, and save most prints in about 10 minutes. You'll definitely get faster (and better) as you go along.

Mike

Bob: You can upgrade your Corel Photo-Paint to the full version of Corel Draw 9 for $100. Did you get version 8 for free with a printer like I did?

Mike: Corel Photo-Paint is part of Corel Draw. The latest version (10) is $699 and the upgrade is $289. Unlike Photoshop which tries to do it all in one, Draw is two integrated programs: one for vector images and one for raster (bit-map) images. Graphic designers use the 1st and photo guys like us use the 2nd. I personally think this makes it easier to use.

Sue: I looked at all the photos at Yahoo. Some thoughts-
1) You were probably using the wrong film, 400 or faster. In strong sunlight, these high speed films get very "contrasty" and you'll lose detail. Note the loss of detail on the mules (?) backsides in the shadows. In very bright and overhead sunlight, you are much better with ISO 100 or 200.
2) Follow Mike's suggestion of scanning at 300 or 600 dpi, or 1200 is even better if it is available. Don't worry about the file size of the scan-you can shrink it with compression later. Get as much detail as you can in the scan.
3) You should manipulate your image a little at a time so that you can better see and understand more about how each works and its effect. For example, perhaps you should have used intensity instead of brightness and color balance instead of tint. You may need a more sophisticated program.

One way to get photo editing software at a lower price is to use last year's edition. For example, the current version of Corel Draw is version 10 with a MSRP of $699 while version 9 is listed on Ebay.com for less than $50.

Hope this helps.

Glenn

Sue, Your pictures are AWESOME... We also scanned our pics...800X600 but when we uploaded it to Yahoo...
http://photos.yahoo.com/zbilog

It only took 480X360. Check out our website and see our pictures...Thanks
--------------------------------------

quote:

Originally posted by Sue Gillen:
Glenn,I'm using photos.yahoo.com for my photo album, and a paperport scanner. There is an upper limit to the file size, but it's rather large, so I don't think it will affect my scanning.
I scanned several photos last evening using 200x200 dpi, 24 bit color(fast) and posted them at the site below. Check it out and see if there is something I should work on. (I played with brightness, tint, etc. but couldn't seem to duplicate the photo I was scanning!) With practice and some guidance, I know I can improve!
Sue
http://photos.yahoo.com/sue_gillen