You have your entire family's LIFE in photos. SOMEWHERE.
Now lets 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 confidence to make all the right scanning choices.
Hi there! Welcome to Scan Your Entire Life.
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.
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Photo Scanning Photo Restoration Film, Video and Audio Transfers Personal Photo Organizers Scrapbookers
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
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
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Use 1 of These Photo Managers If You Care About Your Photo Collection (2017 Update)
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The DPI You Should Be Scanning Your Paper Photographs
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How to Write an Autobiography: The Secret Tips to Finally Get Started
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How Quickly You Could Scan Your Entire Photo Collection — What I Discovered From My First Week of Scanning
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Epson V800 vs V850 — The 5 Differences and Which You Should Buy
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The Best Way to Add a Description (Caption) to Your Scanned Photos
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What Everybody Ought to Know When Naming Your Scanned Photos – Part 1
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If You Don't Add This to the Filename of Your Scanned Photos, You'll Probably Hate Yourself Later
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Are 99.9% of Your Photographs Just Not Important Enough To Save?
Latest Blog Posts
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?
read more
Announcing the Scan Your Entire Life Membership and Training Course!
Today is the big day! This is easily the biggest day for Scan Your Entire Life since July 5, 2010, when I had finally built up enough confidence to post the first article on this brand new website.
Now, almost 8 years later, I’m extremely excited to finally make the first public announcement on this website of my brand new membership and training course.
This online training course with professionally-produced video lessons, and some that are text-only when most appropriate, 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.
read more WE DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE WITH COMPUTERS,
JUST HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PHOTO COLLECTION.
What People Are Saying About…
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AND THANKS!!! I watch a TON of YouTube How To's and you are without a doubt one of the best teachers/facilitators of DIY videos I've seen here on YouTube! Much appreciated…
I found your website and after a few days of reading the various articles. I signed up for your newsletter and took out the boxes of unnamed and unsorted family photos.
Armed with your naming convention and dpi setting recommendations, I jumped in with both feet and the old family photos are finally getting organized and scanned.
I now know the joy and satisfaction of actually being able to replace an ‘x' with a numeral! Thank you so 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.
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.
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.
Firstly and foremost – brilliant work Curtis. A well prepared site, bristling with information!
I had actually just started scanning the hundreds (thousands) of prints we have when I came across your website.
Your information is so clear and valuable that I have actually started over. Scanning prints, no worries now thanks to you.
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.
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!!!!
I've been fascinated by the articles on your web site. They are spot on. I rarely read something and keep saying ‘YES!' ‘YES!' every few paragraphs.
Well done, and you must think exactly like I do!
Curtis, THANK YOU!! You saved my photos!! So happy!!
I am so elated I found this 3-part series of assist articles before continuing the scanning process for my family. I am easily becoming the family ‘Archivist’ at this rate, and I have only just begun the scanning process.
Thanks for the process review, I needed it, and will likely use a similar naming method. (I’m only about 130 photos into the fray, too.)
I want to thank you for putting up this AWESOME website! Seriously, a lot of your archiving tips really helped me out.
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.
Curtis, THANK YOU!! You saved my photos!! So happy!!
You are a truly noble person for all of the people you help without charging them. You help tremendously. Thank you so much!!!
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 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!
Firstly and foremost – brilliant work Curtis. A well prepared site, bristling with information!
I had actually just started scanning the hundreds (thousands) of prints we have when I came across your website.
Your information is so clear and valuable that I have actually started over. Scanning prints, no worries now thanks to you.
I truly enjoy all of your helpful advice. My sister made a large booklet on the genealogy of my family going back to the 500s. I'm adding a part of it for our daughter on my life with her dad! Plus trying to organize all of the pictures we have. Your advice has been so helpful!!!!!
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.
Aren't you tired of putting this project off?
Do this for your family.
Before you are out of time...