Bulk scanning of photo prints and Photoshop actions

larry98765

larry98765

Registered
Hi All,

I would like to digitize hundreds of 4x6 and 3x5-inch prints from my collection and I'm looking for any helpful tips on minimizing the pain.

I would like to set up some kind of Photoshop action, but can't include the scanning part, because the scanning interface is an Epson plugin. (or could I use Applescript?)

But once I have, say, four images scanned, I'd like to create a Photoshop action to crop each one out and save as sequentially numbered jpgs.

I wouldn't want to reinvent the wheel if anyone else has ever done this.

Also, I've checked on bulk scanners and they're either very high priced (Kodak: $3500) or not quite good enough (the HP with auto feeder I investigated.)

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
HP has a scanner that will scan stacks of 4x6 photos... *drool*

(too bad I only want Epsons) :p

Edit:
erm, looks like you already mentioned the HP. :p
 
All I do is scan as many shots as I can fit on the glass as one file then copy & paste into a new doc and save it. No cropping is necessary then. Set the marquee tool to a fixed size of your photos, move it from pic to pic for copying and you should be okay.

The original scan takes a little time at 300dpi though at least once it's in Photoshop you can make colour corrections en masse as an Action. Still have to save & name each shot manually but I prefer that.
 
Larry says he's already looked at the Scanjet. It's a consumer-level scanner and doesn't really produce professional enough images.
 
Lazzo -- thoughtful advice, thanks. I wonder if I could automate the process further -- i.e.

1. put 4 images on glass, one in each corner
2. Since they'll always be 4x6, have a photoshop action automatically select the 4x6 in the upper left, make new doc, save by sequential name
3. Repeat for upper right, lower left, lower right, etc.
4. Maybe pause for user input on whether the photo is horizontal or vertical

I'm in the process of trying to figure this out, but I thought someone may have already tackled this problem. Also, maybe QuickKeys is the solution.
 
Provided the pics are always in the same place for the original scan, of course!

However, I've just had a look at some photos that came back from the chemist and not all of them are the same size, looks like they were guillotined in batches of five. So a little cropping is probably in order.

I tried sequential naming with an Action some time ago, but couldn't make it work. Also, I'm an old hand in the production biz and have never totally trusted software to do what I want!

Just had a thought - if you've got Acrobat, save the scan as a pdf then extract the images from within Acrobat. That extracts the images and numbers them sequentially, but I don't know if you need the full version rather then just the reader.
 
More good advice, Lazzo.

I'm also investigating services to do this for me -- high volume scanning services. The best I can find is around $0.40/scan. (about a quarter quid?) I figure if I can find a place that will do it for about 25 cents, it'll be worth it to go that route.

Anyone know of such a place/service (in the US?)

And by the way, Lazzo: my British and Aussie friends call me Lazza.
 
Good guess, as of 12.45 Sunday $0.40 is £0.24458.

R-Name that bobw found looks like it might do part of the trick but you still need to get the photos scanned in and named first?

Doesn't everybody with an 'r' or two in their first name get 'zz' substituted? Gary is nearly always Gazza. Sometimes I use something like that as a dig at someone important in frosty meetings when I know I'm not getting anywhere, so I might as well jive 'em!
 
With R-Name, just set the name and number, ie "bobw1". Then all will be named bobw and start at number 1 and continue. Scanning will be the pain.
 
Bobw --

Right. Scanning is the painful part. I'm surprised places like ofoto or snapfish don't offer this service.

And Lazzo, yes I love that tradition of the double z's. It's so endearing.
 
I feel certain there's something out there that does this. Batch scanning and sequential naming must be common at some level of the comms biz. My business is production with shedloads of images, but I must be too far down the foodchain for it.

Maybe it's just familiarity with this thread, but a piece of software is niggling at the corners of what I am pleased to call my mind - and the price tag with it. Maybe it'll pop up.

zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz!
 
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