Digitizing Your Photos, Slides, and Negatives - Beginning Photo Retouching and Restoration Using GIMP - page 30

Figure 2-9. The two parts unified into a complete image
Scanning Slides and Negatives
The vast majority of your retouching and restoration tasks will involve working from photographic prints.
Of course, transparencies can incur damage over time—mold and mildew, embedded dirt, and color
shifts are fairly common. It might be a good idea to hire this task out, if you rarely come into contact with
transparencies and don't want to invest in a dedicated or multi-format scanner. On the other hand, if photo
editing work will be part of your professional activities, then investing in a capable scanner would be a
wise choice. Digitizing slides and negatives can add a boost to your income stream. A multi-format flatbed
scanner offers added versatility. You'll be able to obtain good scans from a variety of original photographic
materials. These scanners use adapters to hold the transparencies in place on the scanner's bed
(Figure 2-10 ). A high-quality, dedicated slide/negative scanner can offer the ultimate in quality scans, with
the best dynamic range (detail in shadow areas). It pays to do some research to best determine your needs,
before making your purchase.