Why you must scan your photos!

 Like it or not, your photos aren't safe sitting in frames and albums around your house.  They are slowing degrading and you're losing details like color and clarity.  

The photo above is me at 5 years old.  It's a 40 year old photo that has been in a frame on the wall at my parents' house for decades.  It's getting dull and fading fast.  My red hair is muddy and my white dress is dull.  I clearly remember that dress - it was one of my favorites.  I hate to see the photo disappear.  Left alone, it will continue to darken and eventually be mostly lost to future generations.  Scanning it is the only good way to preserve it and fix it.  Below is the same photo "fixed" in some simple software.  It needs some more attention, but I wanted to show you how a quick fix can bring a dull photo back to life.  

Some people think they don't need to scan because they have the negatives.  Have you ever tried to actually FIND a negative you needed for a specific photo?  There's nothing quite so blinding as trying to hold up little black negative image strips to light and determine if that's the photo you're looking.  It's impossible.  And, we simply don't know what the future of traditional film development is.  In 40 years, will you be able to get copies made from them?  

Scanning is the best way to completely preserve your photos.  You are not only saving them for future generations, but you are able to fix and share them, too.  It's not about just being able to use your photos in digital projects, it's about keeping them safe for your children and grandchildren (and beyond) to enjoy in the same way you did.