You have your entire family's LIFE in photos. SOMEWHERE.
Now lets get them all organized in just
ONE PLACE.
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 confidence to make all the right scanning choices.
I'm Curtis Bisel — the overly serious looking guy in the photo.
Since August 8th of 2001, I've been working to perfect a workflow to scan and organize my family's 10,000+ analog photo collection made up of prints, slides and various negatives.
From this website and my email list which I encourage you to sign up for, I release insights, tips, and best practices for doing the same with your own photo collection.
Organizing Originals
Scanning Photos
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
Bringing all of your original photos together in one place. And if desired, creating a suitable order for them before being scanned.
Current Popular Posts
-
The DPI You Should Be Scanning Your Paper Photographs
-
Use 1 of These Photo Managers If You Care About Your Photo Collection (2017 Update)
-
How Quickly You Could Scan Your Entire Photo Collection — What I Discovered From My First Week of Scanning
-
Epson V800 vs V850 — The 5 Differences and Which You Should Buy
-
How to Write an Autobiography: The Secret Tips to Finally Get Started
-
The Best Way to Add a Description (Caption) to Your Scanned Photos
-
What Everybody Ought to Know When Naming Your Scanned Photos – Part 1
-
Are 99.9% of Your Photographs Just Not Important Enough To Save?
-
If You Don't Add This to the Filename of Your Scanned Photos, You'll Probably Hate Yourself Later
-
The Top 13 Reasons Why You Should Already Be Scanning Your Photo Collection
Aiming for the Stars to Hit a Cowpie — My Enlightening Scanning Journey
As a Wyoming farm gal, I was raised with the phrase “It’s better to aim for the stars and miss than to aim for a cowpie and hit.” Well, that’s great advice … unless your goal actually is to hit the cowpie.
My scanning goal really was that simple, but for some reason, aiming at the cowpie just wasn’t working. So I changed strategies and aimed for the stars. The result? Read on to find out. And hopefully, by sharing my scanning journey, it will help you on your scanning journey.
Scanning All of Our Family Photos … What's the Actual Point?
For anyone with children, or with other family members such as nieces or nephews, the answer to whether or not we should scan our old family prints, slides and negatives may seem quite obvious.
But, when I received this email from Jennie, asking me why she should go through all the trouble of taking on such a big scanning and organizing project when she doesn't have younger family to pass it on to, I was struck with the thought that many of you might be asking yourselves the same question. Maybe even for some of you who actually do have family to pass your scanned collections on to!
If you don't have or know anyone that will truly cherish your scanned photo collection once you've passed, is there even a single reason to scan any of your old family photos?
JUST HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PHOTO COLLECTION.
“Curtis, I am so excited to have found your website at just the right time. I have been thinking about scanning my old family photos for years and every time I am about to begin I hit the naming problem and put it off. I have pursued my family history on Ancestry.com, and obtained many digital photos to add to my collection. Just reading the 3 steps of organizing has been of great value!
I also have intended to buy a new scanner for this purpose which is how I found your website. You helped guide me on that purchase and the other supplies that I needed for that. Thanks so much!! I look forward to more wonderful information as I go along.
The best thing about your website is how it is organized and communicated by answering the questions that a new scanner has and giving suggestions for those in different circumstances! Thanks again!!”
You had a great idea when you started this website. There are many like us who realize the great things we can do for future generations, while also having a great time ourselves.
Yours is truly an interesting, readable, and useful blog. Congratulations on it. It has almost kicked my butt enough to start my own blog.
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!
“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!”
Thank you so much for your series of articles. I've read them all. I started out knowing practically nothing about this. But now I'm ready to review the articles and get started scanning.
You have helped a LOT of folks. And with the baby boomers hitting 65 by the thousands each week the demand for your articles can only go way up.
I ran across your site last weekend while searching for some information on best file formats and resolutions to scan photos at.
First I just want to thank you for all of the great information you have compiled into this wonderful website. I am preparing to embark on my own scanning journey after starting / stopping it several times over the past several years.
I'm 52 and in possession of many of our family's photos. My parents are deceased and most of my aunts and uncles are as well. I have a couple of grandchildren that I hope will enjoy the fruits of my labor as well as a niece and nephew.
Anyway, your website has answered many of my questions and given me inspiration to start scanning. Thank you again for all of the time, effort, and great information you have provided to the world.
I just wanted to say, yes, glad you did create this site. You have obviously helped many people and from little I have read, you are very clear and personable. So many videos and classes will go on and on and then rush right through the important stuff.
I am making a new push to get pictures scanned and organized, so I have been looking for good advice and am glad to have found a kindred spirit. Keep it up and Thanks!
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!
You are an absolute lifesaver!!! I cannot thank you enough for posting this solution. I had ‘lost’ ALL of my photos dating back to 2001 until 15 seconds ago!!
I have been searching everywhere (including more ‘iPhoto recovery software packages’ than you can imagine!!) for the last 3 years, basically I had given up finding them until today when I need to transfer my files to my new MacBook.
Everything has been restored and you have saved me from losing the memories from the last 13 years … If I could hug you I would! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!
Curtis, Love your site! What really sets yours apart from other sites that cover scanning, is that you always weigh the effort and future proofing of things.
I would like to compliment you on your website. It provides a lot of useful information all in one place. Great Job!
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!
“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!”
Thank you for a very informative detour while I was browsing for a solution to posting comments in Facebook.
Your URL name was interesting so I came by and your content was so nicely laid out I stayed for awhile. You made me think about our family photo collections and their preservation and gave such practical tips!
Thing is, I am wondering why you have not monetized your site more. I mean, it is refreshingly clear of ads and such. Perhaps the email subscription list provides the financial support or you are simply an altruistic expert? If so, thank you for that! But, if you should choose, I do think your stuff is great and you could do more to monetize (even asking for paypal donations) if/when you need to.
I really liked your content and style.
Thanks for making me think about the importance of doing this all. Who knows? Maybe I will even return some day to start a project. I have enjoyed sharing your passion for a bit and I definitely learned something about scanning and some apps!
I was happy to find your site since it fills a very real need many have.
I just wanted to say, yes, glad you did create this site. You have obviously helped many people and from little I have read, you are very clear and personable. So many videos and classes will go on and on and then rush right through the important stuff.
I am making a new push to get pictures scanned and organized, so I have been looking for good advice and am glad to have found a kindred spirit. Keep it up and Thanks!
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!
Wow, all the questions and issues I've had regarding scanning and archiving my photo collection on one website! What a find!
I was at the Apple Store meeting with the Mac Genius and he told me how to create a new [iPhoto] library but not how to look and see the old one! I panicked when I couldn't find it. Luckily people like you have the answers on line.
Your presentation was professional, educational and precise. Thank you so much!
