Scanning & Organizing Old Family Photos | Today’s the Day!

[@cli4g67graS]

I did this myself in 2014 with a Epson scanner, which can scan negatives. And I stored them in folders named by year, 1990, 1991, .... Please remember to have at least 3 copies with good brand hard disks and SSDs, etc.

[@LanceHall]

A good flatbed scanner is the best method. Do NOT ever use those cheap dedicated scan cubes the scan quality is atrocious. Always scan photos at a very high resolution to capture all the details in the photo and have lots of headroom for restoration/retouching. Keep original scans, work files and shrunken photos (for sharing) stored in at least two places.

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

Thanks for the tip!

[@gsnyder2007]

Like other commenters I've decided today is the day and I am embarking on a project to digitize old family photos. Your video was very helpful. Thanks Lisa.

[@ClaireQuinn566]

I found your video extremely helpful Lisa. Thank you very much. I've downloaded the App you recommended & I'm going to start on this project of digitalising my old photos that I've put off for years. Thank you for inspiring me. Best wishes & greetings from Ireland 👍🙂🇮🇪

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LanceHall]

Technical tip for scanning old negatives. You want to do multiple scans at more than one gamma level maybe higher and lower in addition to the standard gamma. This will affect the details in the dark areas because all negatives are not the same. The wrong gamma will make everything in the shadows black and Photoshop won't be able to undo that. The correct gamma will save the detail which can be enhanced.

[@OToole2.0]

Thank you. This looks like the way to go. Your tips are so helpful. I plan to use Photomyne and start this project.

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michelesholar1756]

Wow never knew about this app. I also have hundreds of old photos. Gonna download this app. Thanks for all the tips 😊

[@southernbelle6564]

There are several versions of this app. Which one do you have?

[@lawrente]

This is exactly the problem I'm facing. I'm looking for a way to share them with family. Thanks for sharing how this app works. Lisa, this video has really helped me determine how to move forward with my photo project.

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lindaremillard2604]

Use the app it well worth it. I have used it to scan pictures. I have been doing genealogy for 46 yrs. Have a lot of paper info. I am downsizing don't have room. I am 69 and no one wants all my work. Have done everything I wanted to find. It is a passion for me.

[@charlapeery632]

Thank you for the information about Photomyne. I think it will solve my problem to begin to organize 5 big totes full of family pictures.

[@kbanghart]

Is that a service that you send your photos away and they'll send you back digital copies? Do you know if they use AI or something to identify faces, so you can kind of group the photos that way? I would love that but not sure which services offer that.

[@thephotomanagers]

How's your photo organizing project going?

[@kbanghart]

@@thephotomanagers following :)

[@lovelovepopmusic1979]

Lisa, This info is so timely for me! Retired in December and this is my summer project. Also have a family reunion in August and my fabulous step-mother has created a scrapbook for every year. Thank you!!

[@schneeg]

I scann with a nikon d5600 and the nikor dx 40mm and the es-2 digitazing adaptar it is very fast to scann this way becuase I can go form 35mm to middium format and f4 X 5 negatives very quik

[@machellelowry9404]

This was a great tutorial. Thank you!

[@timzusa]

I want to do this. Looking into an Epson V600.

[@jacquelinetobin7599]

Question: I love that you can also scan the writing on the back of the photo. Does that data get lost when you backup the photos to Google Photos? Does it transfer as a separate photo?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

The metadata does not go with the photo when backed up in Google Photos. The scan of the back of the photo transfers as a separate photo.

[@anneahlert2997]

I would add that you should ALWAYS rename the image file to include the names of the people in the photo. That way, regardless of what program you use to view them, you can always find the exact ancestor you are looking for. Always use maiden names for women in file names, regardless of their marital status at the time of the image. That also makes searches much easier. DO NOT USE COMMAS in the filename. My husband is a Network Engineer. He says that doing do can cause the files to blow up randomly on some computer systems (yes, some Windows and Apple systems included).

[@desertfish6239]

I am starting the process of organizing photos. What do you do with the actual photos once you scan them?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

I do jeep my actual photos. I make sure to store them safely away from light and extreme temperatures. I also use archival photo boxes and supplies, but the can get pricey, so l'm slowly getting those.

[@michaelmayrend313]

Hello Lisa. I wondered if you had any suggestions for digitally sharing photos between extended family members. Is there an application where you can share large numbers of photos, and then others can add comments helping to identify those in each photo? Like a group discussion trying to come to a consensus? Adding proof, or maybe uploading a different identified photo, to make an identification confirmation? Maybe a personal or family wiki?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

There are a couple of options for this. The Photomyne I showed in this video also the ability to share and and fill in stories, etc. Using Google photos is another way to create digital albums to share with family. I've also seen this type of collaboration done in a private family Facebook group. Hope that helps!

[@markgilby6142]

Good intro, Lisa. I have found that a flexible arm to grip the Phone aids the stability of the process, particularly with slides. You did not make much mention of the light box that you used for the slides, but it does not look particularly portable. I have found one on Amazon that is 4"-5" square, so ideal for slides and very portable. Lastly, the photo album scan and separate only scanned 5 photos. What happened to the image of the woman (top centre)? That seems a bit hit & miss and therefore would slow the process if you have to count each time.

[@laurynmclelland9708]

This was the exactly the help I was looking for. Thank you from Quebec Canada. I am going to download Photomyne today.

[@MaryHanover-x7f]

Do you think the better the iphone camera like a Iphone Pro or Iphone 15, 16, the better the result on each scan using this app?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

I use an android phone, so I'm sorry I am not able to speak to the iphone. I do think a better camera will likely give a better scan result. With that said, with my older photos, I haven't noticed much of a difference in scans when I upgraded my phone.

[@debbiesokoloff1991]

Super helpful!

[@galerotan2767]

When I looked at the Photomyne app store it has a negative scanner, color old photos, and slide scanner. Do you just have the one app for all you showed or do you have to purchase all the different ones to do all those things?

[@barbarablack719]

Will this add to my iPhoto collection on my phone? I have thousands (literally) of photos to scan and save. I feel like I won’t have enough space on my phone or laptop. Thank you!

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

This is a great question! I'm not an iphone user, but I'll check on it and get back to you. Of course, any iphone users out there who want to chime in, please do!

[@eileencox5919]

photos on iphone/smartphones only have so many pixels and will get blurry after shared so many times; **how do you scan photos using a photo stand with an SLR Nikon camera?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

I've not used the nikon camera, so can't speak to that. Scanning in a different format such as a tiff will take care of that, but does create a large file size.

[@lindaremillard2604]

I scanned 500 pages of files on flat bed scanner. I use prototype app on my phone. I use it a lot.

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

So glad you love it!

[@eileencox5919]

what is the lighted flat that you are using?

[@richardpaz1919]

I don’t use that app I bought the Epson fast foto 680w yes it’s expensive but since most of my photos are 4x6 photos about 96% that machine works for me just wanted to share that if anyone reads this comment

[@lynnm2666]

I also bought that one and used it today for the first time. A little overwhelmed at the moment. Are you able to go back to a file and add more pictures? How did you label yours? Thank you.

[@anneahlert2997]

I used one of those to scan in the bull of a 6,000 photo project I had. My brother-in-law was getting divorced and I had foolishly volunteered to scan his family photos for him, little realizing how many he had. Oy! But once I bought the FastFoto, the project took me very little time. I could scan around 50 or so at one time-- double-sided, if need be-- in merely a minute! Resolution and default filenames could be adjusted as desired. (The latter helped immensely with organization and tracking which album the photos came from.) It could NOT scan Instamatics from the 1970s/80s, because they were too thick. I also did not ask it to scan antique photos that could not easily wrap around the roller. The width of the photos could go from 8" down to 1-1/2" without a problem. It *is* expensive. If I had bought mine just before Christmas, I could have saved almost $200 on it. But I waited until January, and the price had jumped back up. Watch for electronics sales and shop around if you try to buy one. Electronics chain stores and office supply chain stores tend to have higher prices than the stores that computer guys go to for building their own PCs. Ask around.

[@anneahlert2997]

​​@@LuckyCharms_4 I would add to include as much of that info in the filename as possible. Metadata doesn't always copy and isn't always searchable, but filenames do and are.

[@Jan-xp8yi]

Should you combine photos from different sources if they are from different sources? That’s a question we have. Scanned a box of old photos and put into binders, but there are more of the same family that my mother had

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

That's a good question. I do, so that photos of the same people are not spread across multiple places. That way it's easier for me find and share all of an individual's photos.

[@sanfordcbutler]

This is very well done. Thank you so much.

[@LanceHall]

I scanned a few hundred images and after trying to store them in dated folders I eventually moved them to family group folders.

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

I use family group folders, too, and include dates in my labeling system.

[@marygrether1]

what do you do with the old photos after you have scannede them

[@anneahlert2997]

KEEP them. You should make sure to store them in acid-free plastic or acid-free scrapbooks. NEVER GLUE them to any scrapbooks. Once you glue them, the photos will deteriorate faster and you are making it impossible for future family members to enjoy them (or re-scan them, if needed). I go to my local comic book store (really!) and use Mylar acid-free bags and acid-free backer boards from them for storage. It's a less expensive option to fancy photo books and they have bag sizes for anything as small as a trading card to anything as large as one of the old giant Life Magazines. Bring your photos to the store to get better size matching. My local comic shop says they often get photo storage and craft storage requests from people. You won't seem weird if you walk in with a bunch of photos. If you have photos in a frame, store them in the frame.

[@susanpratt6344]

Question please....what resolution do the scans end up?

[@Diomodo]

A random resolution. If you are worried about resolution avoid this method.

[@judykonig4102]

Although I like the idea of connecting the back of the photo to the photo and the ability to add text, I believe this is too time consuming. I also don't believe my old hands would survive the process. Thank you for this information!

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

I get that, but I found scanning the back of the photo in Photomyne much quicker. It's just two quick taps and it's done.

[@pmmm8440]

You refer to a link in the description below. I can’t find a link.

[@GlobalDrifter1000]

Skip to 3:30

[@Randomclips1653]

Thanks

[@bluehannah8696]

What is the resolution of the digital photo?

[@Diomodo]

the cheapest second hand scanner will do a better job than the better app out there

[@myronachtman4304]

Why do you scan in "portrait" mode when your photo is of "landscape" orientation?

[@jenniferharrison8309]

I am considering subscribing to Photomyne. How can I be sure that I won't lose any of the work I put into it. Can I save everything that I do in the app independently in case I no longer subscribe or so that my descendants can access it when I'm gone? Can I save the finished product outside of Photomyne?

[@grantfahlman1815]

Hello Jennifer. Even though I haven't used Photomyne (and don't plan to), Google Photos is definitely the answer to your question. I have been using it for a number of years and have grown to like it even more as time goes by. I take loads of photographs on my cell phone and have the phone set to automatically back up all of them (to Google Photos) as soon as I have access to wifi. After that, once they're stored in Google Photos, you can download them to your computer and store them, share them, make copies, etc. I really can't say enough + about it!

[@specialk5994]

Checklists PLEASE!!! ✔️✅️☑️ I research and can get lost forever with 50 tabs open, Notes scribbled everywhere. I LOVE research, but I lack structure. I Never find a finishing point, completed project.

[@TheConvivialCreator]

This is my story. I've got all the shoe boxes and albums. Help!

[@louisedawson3251]

Does Photomyne store your photos?

[@LisaLissonAYMC]

The photos are backed up in the cloud, so you've always got access to them across your devices. You can also export them to google photos, which is where I share my photos from. You also have the option to download your photos.

[@louisedawson3251]

@@LisaLissonAYMC Thanks

[@lindamortimore5274]

Can I copy photos from Google cloud to flash drive or Cd . I understand if I stope subscription I won’t be able to access photos.

[@cli4g67graS]

​@S_67Fyou can copy them to an external hard disk, no need to store in in laptop

[@grantfahlman1815]

@@lindamortimore5274 Linda, yes, you definitely want to copy your photographs from Google; certainly those of significant value. They can be copied to any digital storage device (computer HD, CD, USB card, etc). Ideally you should have multiple copies, with at least one of them stored in a different location.

[@steveinsj]

Fun little app until they company disappears and all that data gone

[@craigbuckley1520]

Yeah, nothing beats a local Enterprise/Data Center Class hard drive (or two) with 1000000 hr. mtbf. Gotta go with WD Gold now that HGST Ultrastar's aren't readily available.

[@usaf4dbt]

14 minute video, first 7 minutes END LESS TALKING.

[@Randomclips1653]

I am not your cousin

[@malingehring165]

You used the term "future generations" a lot. I have found that young generations really don't care about old photos. It is very sad.

[@Mrspirategirl47]

I searched for anything to quickly save old photos 2 years ago when my mom passed and dad and I were going through things. I staged the photos, took screenshots, then did a search and found the same app, Photomyne app and saved over 15k to my phone and using my iPad I pulled up the notes app and opened a blank note and used the lit white background for scanning negatives. I installed an app called filmstrip on my phone and followed the directions, held the negative up against the blank white, lit background and used the app on my phone and took screenshots of the negatives. It works but you have to play with it. I had about 2 weeks to go through things, and do all this, plus other things required for funeral. I have only been doing geneology since about 2015, but my mom in her decreased memory helped me a lot. I have self taught myself lots of things,. I save my photos to specific folders, person, event , year, etc., and if I edit them I make copies first. There is another app I use to help clean up photos, Adobe makes it and it’s for IOS platforms, like iPhone and iPads, although it’s not perfect and not professional, it does help a lot. I know the next time I visit my dad, I will have a better understanding of how to work things, and are more familiar with family names so when I go through more of the things my mom saved, I can be much quicker about sorting things for a later time. I have saved emails and voice mails from my mom that I will save to thumb drives for my siblings, after I have saved everything to 2 larger thumb drives. These things are very stressful on iPads, so I will be purchasing a 4th iPad in 7 years.