Scanning Page 5

On Page 1 we discussed what scanning is, what it does, who needs it and the equipment needed. On Page 2, we learned about factors to consider before starting a scan. On Page 3, we started the scan. On Page 4, we finished the scan and saved the file. Now lets examine what can be done with the finished product.

Printing a scan

If you go back to Step 7 on Page 3, the photo in the scanner was a print I made from a digital picture of the dog. So the first thing most people want to do is print the scan. The thing to remember is that if you intend to print the scan, start with a high resolution. I started with only 75dpi, so this scan would not print well.

E-Mail a scan

The second most popular use for scanned pictures is to send a copy via e-mail. This creates a quandary. If you make a large high resolution file so the other person can print it, the file size may become unmanageable via e-mail. I had someone ask why they could not receive a photo being sent to them. I had it sent to me and it was over 3 MB. Most e-mail system have a smaller limit. The other problem is transfer time. On a modem, a 3 MB photo could take between 30 minutes and an hour to send or receive. Even on broadband, it takes a few minutes.

Therefore, if the other person is just going to look at the photo on their computer, reduce the file size as small as possible. Reduced file size is the advantage of .jpg whereas other file types like .tif or .bmp are usually very large. You might consider saving 2 copies, one large and one small. Remember, you need lots of storage space on your hard drive if you are going to scan a lot of photos.

Other uses for scanned photos

Make a side show/wallpaper/screensaver. You can display your photos on the computer in various ways. Below is one example of making wallpaper out of your photos. Wallpaper is a static display that stays all the time. To learn how to change your display properties, click here.

You can also use your photos to make a screensaver slide show. In Win 9x, you had to get a third party program to accomplish this task. In Me and XP, the feature is built in. Open the Display properties and the screen saver section. Look for My Pictures Slideshow. Go to Settings and browse for the folder that hold the photos.

Make a CD. If you have a CD writer (CD-RW), you can store your photos on CD as a permanent library or to send to family members. You can create self running slide shows of certain groups of pictures, like a wedding, party or a trip.

Add photo to documents (letterhead, greeting cards, business cards, flyers, inventory records).

Make your own letterhead. You can insert a photo in Word to make a letterhead, flyer, inventory record and many others.

Business cards. All business card programs allow inserting your own photo.

These should give you enough ideas of how to utilize the scanned photos that you can expand from here. Have fun. If you need any help, contact me.

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