You have your entire family's LIFE in photos. SOMEWHERE.
Now let's get them all organized in just
One Place.
Join us, and I'll show you how to get all of your fading prints, slides, and negatives into your computer and then combine them with your newer digital camera photographs to make one perfect collection you'll be proud to hand down.
Scan Like a Pro
From Home
Our online video training course will teach even the most technologically-challenged person the basic steps for scanning their photos and documents. Gain the confidence to make all the right scanning choices.
Topics Covered Here
Organizing Originals
Bringing all of your original photos together in one place. And if desired, creating a suitable order for them before being scanned.
Scanning Photos
Scanning your original prints, slides and film negatives with a photo scanner and scanning software suited to your own goals.
Storing Originals
Best methods how and where to store your original prints, slides, and film negatives, so they are archival safe.
Organizing Digitals
Learning how to label and organize your digital masters either manually in organized folders, or using the best photo managing software for your needs.
Restoring Digitals
Learning the easiest ways to bring your images back to life by correcting shifted and faded colors, scratches, and dust using your photo editing software of choice.
Backup Digitals
Learning how to have a backup process in place to ensure all of your scanned photos will live on forever.
Popular Posts
Latest Blog Posts
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Mylio Photos Review
If your photos are scattered across devices and cloud accounts, and you’re still dreaming of an easy way to gather all of them into one convenient place, Mylio Photos might be just what you’ve been waiting for. Mylio is primarily a photo-organizing app, but it goes beyond that by also helping you manage videos, documents,…
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The Importance of Descriptive Filenames for Scanned Photos
Discover why a simple filename can make all the difference in preserving your family’s photographs. In this article, we explore ten powerful reasons why descriptive filenames for your scanned photos are more important than ever. Learn how this small detail can keep your photo collection organized and meaningful for future generations.
We don't care how good you are with computers, just how much you care about your photo collection.
What People Are Saying About…

I was really busy the last days due to spending all of my free time reading ‘Scan Your Entire Life'. I really enjoy it.
It has been really good for me to learn from you how to systematize, to scan and organize my old photos and negatives. You really gave me the confidence and courage.
I've been trying to convince myself to scan my old negatives. I've read all sorts but this has been the best I've read.
I lost my photos in iPhoto and I was so sad as my sons just left for college and I thought the photos were lost or gone for good. Then I followed your advice step-by-step and fortunately recovered my photos in just a few key strokes.
Honestly, your directions were very easy to follow and it worked! Thank You!
I am so relieved because the photos bring me so much joy. Thank You Again.
My story is that I'm 57 and most of my life is analog. It's time to save it all from fading away, else my kids will not know where they come from.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to share your photo management experiences online.
I'm just starting a family photo digitizing project and the info here has been really helpful to me.
I know how much effort it takes to put this all down in a sharable form and I'm very grateful to you!”
I have been wanting to scan all the family photos for my kids but just didn’t have a system. I know I’ve got to categorize or have an archival system before doing the tedious work.
Thanks so much for your useful 3 part [file naming] series, really enjoyed it. Most helpful too!
I've learned a ton from watching your excellent videos. Your videos gave me courage and motivation to start the huge project I have been putting off because of not knowing where to start. So THANK YOU so much!
Thank you so much, what a fun website to read, your articles had me chuckling, as I too have zillions of questions as I start a project.
It's a joy to see others think the same way. 🙂 Perhaps I can consider this day 1 in the scanning process!
I love your blog. You do such a nice job explaining complex topics in a clear conversational tone.
I work at an advertising agency and my last client was working so hard to explain banking topics in this same exact manner. If you were an expert in banking they would have wanted to scoop you right up! (And they're a big bank!)
I just wanted you to know that you're nailing this blog.
I have now been scanning my old photos actively for about 2-3 weeks. And I'm happy to report that with your guidance I have managed to scan over 400 paper prints already! It seemed such a daunting task but after learning the basics from your videos, it's been pretty smooth sailing.
Your training course videos are, by the way, very professional and easy to follow! So huge credit to you in putting the effort in making these!
As I have been watching your membership video lessons this week (which is a luxury and unintended consequence of having to stay home due to the Covid-19 pandemic), I am realizing I need all the help I can get! I appreciate so much how well you break down each lesson so that even I can understand. 🙂
Had I not discovered your lifeline, I would most likely have already abandoned the project out of frustration. Even though I read the scanner manual all the way through a couple of times, the information just wasn't clicking. Epson should be paying you for your thorough instructions!
Time to close and get to work! Thanks so much for being out there. I think I can do this!
You are the most genuinely humble person I have come across in a very long time… your website is a blessed OASIS to those of us who are panic stricken as we face 1000s of family photos that need archiving.
I am amazed by your benevolent spirit and the gift of the time you take to give us precise details as you empower us to tackle these overwhelming photo collections with a wonderful master plan!
You are a very, very generous man… I don't think you realize the impact you have on so many of us who want to properly honor our family legacies. Thank you. [icon name=icon_heart]
Curtis, THANK YOU!! You saved my photos!! So happy!!
I'm afraid I haven't worked up the courage to get started yet! The job still looks overwhelming to me. But I read your advice, and imagine I will begin one day.
Thanks for your great website. You are the only reason I'm even considering scanning my ton of photos.
Thanks for making my life better. I love you dearly.
Curtis, you've been a true inspiration. I was totally intimidated by the idea of doing it myself, but after visiting your website I decided to give it a try. Not only is it going much faster than I thought but it is an extremely enjoyable trip through the history of my family.
I still have many boxes to go but think I will have everything done within a year. Thanks for many great ideas and most of all for the encouragement.
Thank you so much, what a fun website to read, your articles had me chuckling, as I too have zillions of questions as I start a project.
It's a joy to see others think the same way. 🙂 Perhaps I can consider this day 1 in the scanning process!
I want to thank you for putting up this AWESOME website! Seriously, a lot of your archiving tips really helped me out.
I am 74, a former Air Force (AF) pilot, and only recently got my first camera, so I never captured most of my life on film.
Consequently, I have begun seeking photos from my past to digitize and I have managed to solicit some images by email from AF friends that document our careers in the Air Force. I recently visited my sister and convinced her to relinquish most of her print albums and loose prints and negatives.
Curtis, I read nearly all your posts at least twice if not three times. I learn more each time I read them. You are doing ground breaking work never done before. Maybe one day there will be a standardized naming convention called the ‘Bisel Standard'.
You give us all the incentive to overcome that inertia that prevents us from ever tackling a complicated task such as this. I'm better for having discovered your web site. Thank you again.
I have now been scanning my old photos actively for about 2-3 weeks. And I'm happy to report that with your guidance I have managed to scan over 400 paper prints already! It seemed such a daunting task but after learning the basics from your videos, it's been pretty smooth sailing.
Your training course videos are, by the way, very professional and easy to follow! So huge credit to you in putting the effort in making these!
