Photographs: Scan and Archive

Legend

Where steps switch from one application or device to another the following notations are used to help keep things clear.

1. PS - Photoshop Action
2. HP - HP Precision Scan Action
3. SC - Scanner Action
4. EX - Windows Explorer

Setup/Prep

1. Open Adobe Photoshop
2. Open/Find Actions Window (Alt-F9 toggles)
3. Select Actions Tab (not History)
4. Expand "Photo Archive" Set
5. Make sure it has 4 actions. (TODO: add sections for creating actions)
   1. ScanPhotosAndCrop
   2. CropAndStraighten
   3. Basic workspaces
   4. AutoLevels
6. Open Explorer window to your destination directory

Scanning

1. SC: Place photos to be scanned in scanner
2. PS: Select Actions:Photo Archive:ScanPhotosAndCrop
3. PS: Click Play (triangle pointing right) at bottom of Action Window. This will open HP Precision Scan
4. HP: Select Area to scan
5. HP: Select 600 DPI (1200 for photos 2x2 or less)
6. HP: Click "return to...". This will scan the pictures and return them to Photoshop

Clean up

Photoshop will split the scan into an appropriate number of pictures, crop and straighten them. When complete you should find a composite image along with all the split images. This process is not always perfect. Compare the results with the following clean up instructions and perform those that are necessary.

Remove composite picture

1. Arrange the split pictures in the same layout as the composite image. If you have multiple monitors place the composite on one and the splits on the other.
2. Compare the individual image to the composite and make sure they have not been "over cropped" or otherwise mangled.
3. If the individual images are fine then close and do not save the composite.

Manual Crop and Straighten

Sometimes ScanCropAndStraighten does not recognize the borders on older photos. This is especially true when scanning multiple photos at once. The following steps will help in removing these borders.

1. Select the measuring tool under the Eyedropper
2. Draw a line along an edge that should be perfectly horizontal or vertical
3. Select Menu:Image:Rotate:Arbitrary
4. Press OK in the dialog that opens. The adjustment will be set correctly for the line you drew.
5. Crop the photo if a single photo or copy a section if it is a composite of two or more
   1. Crop
      1. Select the Crop Tool by pressing "C" or from the Tool Palette
      2. Select the area you wish to keep
      3. Press enter
   2. Copy a section
      1. Select the Marquee tool by pressing "M" or from the Tool Palette
      2. Select the area you wish to copy. Unlike the Crop Tool you cannot resize a marquee. Make corrections by starting the selection again. You might need to select a different area first.
      3. Once the correct area is selected choose Menu:Edit:Copy (Ctrl-C)
      4. Select Menu:File:New
      5. Accept the defaults for the new image. They are set based on the copy buffer.
      6. Paste into the new image: Select Menu:Edit:Paste (Ctrl-V)

Auto Levels (optional)

This step can be useful on any photos but especially older ones that have faded or where processed poorly.

Save

1. Select Actions:Basic workspaces
2. Click play