Scanning, photos, slides, transparancies, negatives, ultrasounds, artwork and documents at Creative Pictures in Bairnsdale

We have many years professional experience in scanning, this experience enables us to identify the best process to use in order to achieve the highest quality result for your needs.

There is the important word 'needs'.

The fundamental first rule of scanning is : Scan for output.

If you don't understand that principle then you need us.

When scanning your work, whether it be a 100 year old family photo, a colour slide from the 1960's, a school photo from the 1940's, an ultrasound of an unborn baby or that fun Movie World photo, we instinctively know how to achieve your required result. We don't just scan the photo and hand you a CD with your image on it and say "here you go".

Information required:

        ► For what purpose is the digital image required?

                ▪ Manipulation .....altering the image, greetings cards, certificates etc
                ▪ Printing ....on home printer, commercial or online printing
                ▪ Enlarging ....printing larger than original
                ▪ eMailing ....for viewing on a friends or family members computer
                ▪ eMailing ....for others to print
                ▪ Web site use ....for inclusion on a web site, blog, or notice board
                ▪ Storage ....family history and sharing family photograph assets

        ► Data type output?

                ▪ Original colour ....without any correction
                ▪ Corrected colour ...helps remove colour casting
                ▪ Contrast corrected ....brings back faded areas
                ▪ Black and White 256 Grayscale ....ensure a pure black and white image

        ► File type?

                ▪ The way the image file is saved ....tiff, jpg, psd, png and others

As you can see from the above, we would never just press the green button.
We will ask questions and supply what you need when you need it.

Defining: Scanning

► The process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer

► The act of systematically moving a finely focused beam of light or electrons over a surface in order to produce an image of it for analysis or transmission

► A mechanical and electronic process to create a digital file from an analogue source

...or so the dictionaries would have you believe. In fact scanning is an art form, it requires training and more than a degree of natural ability to understand the relationship between the original image and the digital result, it most certainly is not just pressing the green button and hoping for the best.

I'll take this opportunity to discuss the thorny issue of copyright.

There's a lot of confusion about copyright and where it does or doesn't exist.

IT EXISTS ON EVERYTHING

Yes, that includes last years summer holiday pictures taken by you on the Gold Coast, you own them and nobody can use them for any purpose without your express permission. That's the law.

Consequently we will honour and respect all copyright owners, and not scan or print any images where we believe you are not the copyright owner. Generally we will assume you are the copyright owner.

Just because the photograph does not have the photographers name on it, doesn't mean it's copyright free, NOTHING is copyright free. Some photographs, whilst still having copyright are able to be copied for personal use. (not many though).

There are certain exemptions pertaining to "for educational purposes" and I'm not sure how you prove that.

If there is doubt we will ask you to sign a waiver, which would indemnify us from legal action should the images prove not to be your property or that you do not have the owners permission to use. This would transfer legal liability onto you, a hefty responsibility indeed.

Having said that, copyright on images expires after a period of 50 years following the photographers death, unless those images are in constant commercial use by the copyright owner. The postcard company Francis Frith is a classic example of old images we cannot scan, of course there would be many other examples. Pictures from newspapers are generally not permissible to scan although if it's really old, it may not be a problem. My experience is that a quick email to the newspaper (if it's still in publication) explaining the use it will be put to, will result in a 'yes you can' within certain parameters. Keeping in mind that old newspaper images are very low in quality.

Scanning images from books and other publications is not possible. The copyright in these cases rests with three parties, the photographer, the author and the publisher. You would need to contact the publisher in the first instance to obtain permission. Most answers are no. Once again should the publisher be out of business, we may scan the image subject to you signing the waiver, especially if it's an old publication.

This is not a legal definition of copyright and is only my opinion based on industry experience and research and is subject to change ...rapidly. Please don't be offended if we refuse to copy something, we are not accusing you of anything.