PHOTO SCANNING SERVICE

Short History

Paper photos were very popular for many decades as people could take a picture, get it processed in a couple of weeks have prints of their photos. Polaroid instant cameras sped up this process by taking the photo and the print would eject from the camera and after a minute of shaking the print the photo appeared.

Next came digital cameras on the scene enabling the photographer to shoot the photo and instantly push a couple of buttons and see the image on a small black-and-white screen and later on a color screen.

You know where we are today with smartphones with their high-end camera lenses and their quality images many no longer print out photos. Instead, they are stored right on the camera. Only a few smart consumers bother transferring to the cloud or a computer for backup.

Many of our clients come to The Video Editor Newport Beach when they realize that their old photos are taking up space in large bins gathering dust and being exposed to temperature extremes further leading to their demise. Photos become faded, colors washed out, and the paper is curled and brittle.

Quite a few have inherited this photographic smorgasbord from older family members and now everyone wants to see what’s there. Now that you are the keeper of the photos you have to decide what you are going to do with this project. For many scanning it on weekends and nights is not a project any amateur wants to tackle. Besides you don’t have the training and knowledge to yield the best results nor do you have the right equipment and if you were to attempt it yourself you know you will have many critics second and questioning your decision. We know this happens as we have bailed out and saved many reputations. Instead, wisdom says you should go to a company that offers professional digital photo scanning services. It will be quicker and in the long run less than buying all the equipment and software and getting overwhelmed with the nonstop process. Photo scanning is just that a business.

The Video Editor is a professional photo-scanning service that started in 1993. It may sound like an easy process but let me clue you in. It is tough but that is why experience, training, the right equipment, and a keen eye make the difference between a hobbyist and a pro.

For instance, when beginning a 35mm slide or negative scan project you have to clean the image, then the image needs to be positioned correctly with the emulsion side towards the camera scanner. A way to tell if this is done correctly is by looking at the scanned image does the image looks flipped. For instance, a photo of a car and a stop sign you should be able to read correctly the stop sign. If not flip the image over and try again. Cleaning the scanner glass is also as important as cleaning the negative or slide. Compressed air is another tool to remove lint and dust.

Photographic software like Photoshop and others offer advanced tools to eliminate dirt and dust and enhance colors and more. More specialized training and time are necessary to learn and use photo editing software.

When looking for a photo scanning service Irvine for instance here in Orange County The Video Editor Newport Beach will show up on Google listings. We rank high organically (naturally without paid ads) due to our positive reviews and robust website with valuable information.

Once you have committed to a photo digitize service many will ask how will I now watch them? The majority of people will opt for two options all your photo image storage on a USB thumb drive which you can use to watch on a computer and even to watch on a newer TV.

A cloud download link is best if you want to watch and share on any device connected to the internet. Family members can share the link and no matter where in the world they are they can watch and download the photos.

A data CD is another delivery option but make sure your computer still has a CD tray to play it.

All the images we produce are .jpg photo files. Those that know can then load that image to a photo editing software program and adjust and modify the image if they desire.

A photo scanning service will also relieve you of the bulky storage bins the photos were stored in. Now thousands and thousands of photos will fit on the cloud or a USB. We advise clients to have backups of everything (make several USB thumb drives and a link in the cloud) before disposing of the old paper prints, negatives, and slides.

With the number of prints, slides, and negatives and the time and expense of scanning you only want to do this once. Make sure you choose the best photo scanning company wisely the first time.

Of course, we hope you’ll choose The Video Editor.

Please call us to meet over the phone or in-person to discuss your project. We’ll give you an estimate ahead of time so there are no surprises later. We can arrange to pick up from you or you may bring them to our location so you can see where all the magic happens. Thank you.