2) An Outline
My approach
to this project is not overly technical, yet some technical discussion is unavoidable.
I have always regarded technical matters as more “benefits” than the technical
“thing” onto itself; in a sense mine is a practical approach and in that way
hopefully accessible and applicable to anyone who wants to take on a similar
task.
This
project is not aimed at archivists at large institutions who have access to
very high end scanning systems, but is more suited to those with medium-size
image collections who want to digitize their film work within a budget and with
equipment that does not require an advanced degree to operate. It is also aimed
at those who remain dedicated to film capture but want to output on inkjet
printers or for web albums. The procedures discussed should also be useful for
small museums, historical societies and collectors who have negatives, prints and even glass plates and
want to preserve and perhaps enhance those images. That’s why I will include a
section on print and larger negative scanning procedures as well.
Scan from a 6x7 Fujichrome shot in 1996 made on a flatbed scanner. Dedicated medium format scanners can be quite expensive, and a good flatbed will deliver high-resolution scans from larger format film. Photo copyright George Schaub.
In
addition, access to lab facilities that handle reproduction of film on prints
is becoming increasingly difficult, and, when available, quite expensive.
That’s why scanning, converting film materials to digital files, makes sense in
terms of both “saving” those images as well as being able to do something with
them, be it making prints or sharing on the web or even making photo books to
pass on to future generations.
Project Outline
The project
begins with a discussion on editing, and while, this is a personal affair, I will
offer some guidelines on the process and encourage creating groupings that will
help you focus on a particular body of work (and film type) which I found
helped in not being overwhelmed by the task. I’ll also discuss what may make an
image a “lost cause.”
I’ll then
briefly cover the mechanics of a scanner, including certain criteria to use
when obtaining the best scanner for your type and scope of work. There are
various types of scanners available, and while budgets are one criteria (and
again, this project is aimed at the enthusiast or at those individuals and
institutions with “small” collections) using a poor or low-quality, limited
option scanner is simply a waste of time.
I’ll then
outline what you might call a “philosophy” of scanning, an approach that I find
yields the best results, and then get into the main body of this project:
scanner workflow. This includes step-by-step procedures for negatives,
transparencies, and prints. I’ll explore matters such as calibration,
resolution, profiling, dust removal, sharpening, contrast, color balance and
more.
The only
things I can talk about are my own experiences with scanning and what I have
learned through that experience. Like me, you will find that a certain degree
of trial and error is necessary, including modifying (or hopefully exceeding) your
expectations and procedures, depending on the scanner and software you own and
the shape your film and prints are in.
Scan from a 35mm black and white negative shot at the New Orleans World's Fair in 1984 made with a dedicated film scanner. Copyright George Schaub.
My hope is
that this project will encourage you to respect your work by using scanned
images to share and continue to manifest your vision for others to see. I feel
it is important to preserve and enhance your images as well as those images
made by those in the past.
One note: It
is unfortunate that scanning older photographic material is necessary at all.
But as we have learned, photographic materials are transient and subject to
decay, be it density loss, color shifting or the deterioration of the image due
to poor processing procedures. The paper base of prints, poor storage materials
and the film emulsion itself can be at fault and cause not only the loss of
image quality but of the very image itself. Scanning stops that progressive
loss at the moment you perform the scan.
Next
posting: The Edit
