I can see the finish line for this part of my project as I organize my photo life this year. Last week I resolved the difficult question ‘should we throw out old photos’ – so this week I was able to group my remaining photos into their timeline categories and file back into my sort box. I added a few themed categories within my timeline that I want to keep separate for scanning purposes.
At this stage, I am preparing this part of my collection for scanning, which I will discuss in detail in a future post.
Since I will be digitizing my entire heritage collection, the prep work is easy. Each theme will be scanned in and batch re-named according to their timeline category. The only other item from this collection that I need to sort through are some slides that I found with this group of photos. Since I only have a few to deal with, the need for equipment to read the slides isn’t necessary at this point. Again, I’ll go into more detail when we talk about scanning…..
Here is a quick fix if you only have a few slides to sort through for scanning…
If you have a smartphone or tablet in your home you can use either to view the detail in your slides. Use any app on your device that displays a white background. In this case, I used the ‘notes’ app on my iPhone.
Increase the brightness of your screen, and place your slide on the screen. If you are using a tablet you can view several slides at once. Don’t forget your magnifying glass so you can compare similar photos.
Ta-da! A quick, simple slide viewer and it’s FREE!
What about you? Did you find slides or other types of media in your heritage collection?
When Lisa Kurtz lost her mother, grandmother, aunt, and uncle in three years, she was left holding a box of unidentified photographs with nobody to ask about them. Lisa embarked on a lifelong quest to discover and preserve her mom’s story, for herself and her kids, which led her to a career in professional photo organizing. Today, Lisa is the Founder of Pix & TALES with her daughter and together they help busy moms manage their pictures and tell their family stories.
I love that idea. I have many slides. Thanks.
You’re welcome Donna!
What type of photo organizer is that in the 2nd photo?
The photo box is called the Legacy box which is product that the Photo Organizers have exclusive access to. It comes in two sizes – one holds up to 2400 photos and the smaller one holds 1200 photos. If you are interested in one, you will need to find a photo organizer near you (or anywhere – they ship online) to place your order. You can find an organizer here http://www.appo.org/search/custom.asp?id=1460
Would that trick work to view negatives as well?
You can use your iPhone and another device, but it’s a little trickier. This post helps you change some settings on your iPhone so you can invert the color when viewing your negative. I hope it helps http://petapixel.com/2012/10/23/how-to-use-your-iphone-as-a-quick-and-easy-negative-viewer/
Awesome idea about using a tablet in place of a light box! I just unearthed a few hundred slides from the 70s & 80s. I was just considering buying a light box to see which ones I want to scan. Problem solved. Thanks!
Glad we could save you a few $$ Pat!
I’m loving this series Lisa. Keep up the good work! What a clever way to view slides. Will tuck that idea away for future client work sessions.
Thanks Natalie! So glad you are enjoy the series.