Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
channels that comprise a color scan ef ectively produce sharper images and
exhibit more detail than the black and white scans.
Be sure to use the highest bit settings your scanner can provide and turn of
all clipping of the shadows and highlights with auto expoure settings. The
scan will look low in contrast after scanning, but can be improved using simple
editing in Photoshop and/or Lightroom. Turn of dust removal features because
they will blur and sharpen the image. Just like we used to spot tone each print
individually to remove dust and artifacts, scanned images sometimes require a
fair bit of time-consuming gunk removal. This process is best approached with
the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush tools in Photoshop (see point 5 below). The
good news is that once a digital i le is corrected, it should stay corrected forever.
Scanning essentials
1. Set the scan resolution to the maximum optical resolution of the scanner
in order to capture the highest quality image data for the largest possible
output. 4000 ppi is roughly equivalent to i lm grain for 35 mm and
6000 ppi for medium format.
**If i le size and storage is an issue, set the scanner resolution instead
according to the number of megabytes necessary for the desired output
size. (See “Resolution/Print Size Reference Chart”, page 68.)
2. Set the scanning mode to high bit. A high-bit scan will give you
exponentially more image data … 65,536 as compared to 256 in an 8-bit
image i le, which translates to less destructive editing. There are more
points and more pixel information to ef ect change in a high-bit i le,
therefore creating smoother gradations and less destructive editing.
3. For black and white negatives set i lm type to positive. Although
I have not experimented with every scanner on the market, typically
black and white negatives scan best if scanned as a positive (or at least
tell the scanner it is) and invert the negative to a positive once it's in
Photoshop. Image Adjustments Invert
Note:
Be aware that any dust
and scratch removal
feature in the scanner
software blurs the image
and applies sharpening
to correct for the
blurring.
4. Using the histograms, set the highlight and shadow points ONLY.
Use the scanner histogram tools to set the highlight and shadow input
values to scan for the information in the image. Usually a l at scan is the
most useful in Photoshop. (See “So what is a histogram?”, page 42 for more
information.)
Although more time-
consuming, it is often
best for image quality
to remove dust and
artifacts by hand in
Photoshop with the
clone and healing tools.
5. Make correction in Photoshop. Even the fanciest scanners and scanning
software are not as sophisticated as Photoshop. Regardless of what you
paid for your scanner, it is usually best to make adjustments to the image
in Photoshop. Turn of all corrections in the scanning software whenever
possible, including dust and scratch removal features!
 
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