If you have time and are taking on the huge task of scanning your own photos, please read these tips for better scans!
1. Crop the Previewed Image.
Many people make the mistake of not cropping the photo before they hit the scan button. This will cause a white background to appear on all sides of the photo, resulting in a lower quality scan of the actual photo.
2. Choose the right resolution.
A good rule of thumb is to scan your photos at a minimum of 300dpi (Dots Per Inch) to assure decent quality for enhancement and restoration techniques. If your photo is smaller than the usual size (2×4 or smaller), scanning it at 600dpi or larger would be better.
3. Avoid using correction effects while scanning.
While checking certain effects like unsharp mask or color correction may seem like time savers, they might make your photos look worse. Just scan your image with its original look. Then afterwards, try to make any corrections in a graphics software program which offers much more control.
