Tonal Range, L.L.C. - Flatbed Scans

Digital Photo Imaging Photoshop Flatbed Scanning Photoshop Scanning Procedures Using Epson Flatbed Scanners Acquire accurate and complete information from personal color and b/w photographic prints using several types of flatbed scanners. Follow these exact steps in order to alleviate any potential problems with color casts, limited pixel information, and restricted tonal ranges. Mounted 35mm slides and strips of images cannot be properly accommodated with most flatbed scanners. Flatbeds acquire less pixel information (optical resolution) and are often restricted in dynamic range (# of tones), when compared to film scanners. Photographic Prints, Documents, And Objects: 1. Make sure to switch the Epson flatbed scanner to ON before attempting to launch the Adobe Photoshop program. The green light on the scanner flashes when information is being transferred to the computer. * It is best to wait until the green light is solid before launching any computer programs or making any changes. 2. Place the document into the flatbed scanner image side down. Launch Adobe Photoshop and go to File>Import>Epson Twain Pro. This will activate the Epson software from which you will scan your imagery. * If there is no twain plug-in located in Photoshop, reload the scanner software. Reloading the software will install a Twain plug-in to the Photoshop Plug-ins folder.

3. The Epson Twain Pro software should now be displayed in front of the Photoshop program. First, set the proper color setting for the job to 24-bit Color (Std). Next, click Preview. A Progress monitor window is displayed while the scanner acquires the preview information. * 24-bit color is 8 bits/channel for (R)ed, (G)reen, and (B)lue. ** Photoshop's tools and options are not active while the Epson window is open.

4. Draw a crop marquee around the image area using the mouse cursor. Dancing ants are displayed, and each edge of the crop marquee is independently adjustable. Next, set the Resolution of the image to 200/300ppi and adjust the values in the Target area to establish the enlargement dimensions (enlarge the maximum value to 10 inches to get near 8x10" images). * At this time it is best to remove any white or black edges that are not part of the image area using the crop tool. Inaccurate scans can result from careless cropping.

5. In the Adjust area, click Tone Correction to adjust the density of the image. The Preview window should immediately display the effects of any changes. Adjustment methods may include pulling up or down on the curve to improve the tonal range. Inaccurate color casts can also be alleviated by clicking one of the independent RGB channels below the composite channel. Press OK to accept all changes.

6. Lastly, press the Scan button to acquire the pixel information from the original. The Progress monitor is again displayed. Wait until this window disappears before performing another function. When the scan is complete, the final result will be automatically displayed in Adobe Photoshop. * Be sure to save your original scans descriptively and store them in a safe place.

Note- When making changes to an original scan file in Photoshop, it is best to rename the file by selecting the Save As function. This will ensure that the original scan information stays intact without destructive changes. For resolution basics: http://www.magicpixel.com.au/magicpixel/html/scan1a.html For scanning tips and tricks: http://www.scantips.com/faq2.html#slides For Epson scanner descriptions and comparisons: http://www.epson.com © 2002-2007 by Tonal Range, L.L.C.. All Rights Reserved. Copying of this material is strongly encouraged for the benefit of education.