Although it's hard to pack a scanner into a Cropper Hopper and carry it to our favorite cabin in the woods on the Mogollon Rim in Forest Lakes, Arizona, I can still enjoy its benefits at home. I like the fact that I can scan items up to ll x l4 with my entry level scanner which is an ASTRA UMAX 600s. Once I have the image into one of my photo enhancing programs, Adobe Photo Deluxe, and one of my page making programs, Print Shop Deluxe, I can flip the picture for a page that I want the picture facing into. I do have to be careful about type appearing in the photograph because by flipping it, you'll end up with backwards type in the picture if it can't be cropped out.
Also, with a higher quality scanner, you can convert slides into pictures, freeze videoframes and make pictures from them.
I also find it impossible to take my scanner on a Scrapbooking Cruise unless there was a huge computer lab with computers, scanners and printers set up on the ship.
And, I sure can't take my scanner with me to scrapbooking parties, classes for scrapbooking, lab time at our local scrapbooking stores and the "crop til you drop" sessions where I enjoy socializing with other scrapbookers. However, I still love the fact that I can scan those pictures that I only have one copy of for archival purposes.
I can also scan many memorabilia items such as awards and certificates of success.
Another reason I like a scanner is the fact that I can reduce or enlarge pictures in the privacy of my two computer rooms in my home. I don't have to go visit a copy store late at night and take a chance that something might happen to me or the vehicle. I also save money by using my own scanner instead of having to pay the copy store. I have saved gas, copying bills, my security and not to mention, my favorite, and most important commodity, which is my precious time to work on my scrapbook pages on my Power Macintosh 4400/200 computer.
Also, once I have that picture or whatever scanned in, I can use it in a variety of products. Let your imagination go on this one! I can't wait to make my daughter a wedding quilt with pictures, or a t-shirt with an old-fashioned picture of my son's family on it.
I like thinking about the future, and I think someday a scanner for photo use will be like what grocery stores use to scan products for prices. They will be portable and battery-operated with the capability to use an AC adapter. I think our vehicles will have built-in areas for a scanner, CB's, mounted video cams, and cameras to take pictures from every angle of our vehicle. I also see cars with built-in cellular phones, built-in laptop computers with modems, miniature printers, check and debit card systems and address systems right on board with you as you travel. Probably, some of these things already exist; I just personally haven't seen them yet. Besides the CD player, radio, and tape cassette player, there will also be TV in normal, everyday vehicles. Your vehicle will be disabled if someone tries to steal it because even if they have your keys and automatic door opener, you will have a special password. There will also be a special button on your steering wheel to automatically lock your doors (if you've forgetten) when danger approaches. And the part that I really don't like to write about, there will be thick glass that bullets will bounce off so you can be safe from freeway shootings.
Actually, I can't think of any disadvantages of a scanner except for the fact that the real picture in my opinion has the most quality most of the time. I don't personally like textured pictures of people's faces because of the skin texture, but it can be stunning for weddings, fashion, landscapes and still photography.
Is scanning a portrait photo to put on a scrapbook page a copyright infringement? How many years do you have to wait to scan a photograph that has a copyright? Do you have to ask the photographer's permission to scan a picture, or is it like a yearbook? Our yearbook staff didn't have to ask permission to put pictures in because we were acting in a news capacity. What about our archival responsibility to our families? I see people using portraits for products such as mouse pad pictures, calendars, business cards, greeting cards, plates, standup sculptured pictures, posters, stationery, notepads, envelopes, newsletters, brochures, newspapers, and fliers. Where is the line drawn?
Another reason I like scanners is that you can borrow other pictures from your family and have their pictures in your scrapbook without a lot of money up front.
You can save those pictures on the walls before they fade, get too much humidity,get torn, or just simply fall apart from old age. Finally, I think SCANNING is planning for your restoration of your family's greatest treasures---their pictures! BY BERT REYNOLDS
Advantages of a scanner
Links to articles by BR
The Twelve Scrapbooking Days of Christmas
My Heart is in Scrapbooking
New articles by BR
More about my love
