Website problems

I am just getting started with my 8x20 and printing on AZO paper. The problem comes when i want to scan the 8x20 azo prints to the my website or to the APUG site. No scanners cover 20". I have heard that you can scan the print into to parts and stitch the parts of the print together after scanning.

I know this is a analog group. but I also know many of you work in larger than 8x10 format. Can anyone help me here or if you do not what to cover it on this site you could just e-mail me.

thank you for your time

Michael Andersen

Hi Michael

I'm probably not 100% qualified to say this, but your problem is the same as mine in regards to my prints being too large for my scanner. After researching both on APUG and elswhere, I'm afraid that I had to force myself to buy a cheep d**i**l camera. Yes, I know what your thinking and so did I, but apparently it's the done thing!

I finally made my mind up after reading an article by a photographer called Bob Herbst. (www.bobherbst.com) who photographs all his Platinum prints for his webb site with, in his words, using a d**i**l camera and a very crude lighting set up.

He went on to say that the camera should be no less than 3.1 mp for webb work and at least 5 to 6 mp for submitting work to galleries. His photographs look very beautiful on his webb site and certainly made my mind up for me to do the same.

I hope this helps and I think you will find that there are many more APUGers doing the same.

Regards

Stoo Batchelor

In your case it should be relatively easy to stitch separate scans together as at least one dimension of your prints (8") will fit the scanner

The main thing is to stop the scanning software from applying its own brightness and contrast etc adjustments to the scan, because if it does, each scan will have different levels and will obviously not stitch together without that fact showing at the joins. How you do that depends on the scanning software.

Tape a couple of strips of card to the scanner window to guide the print edges as you shift the print along so when you come to stitch the scans together, the edges are parallel. Make sure each scan includes an inch or so of the previous scan to allow an overlap.

The tricky bit comes in the actual stitching... I just use a paint program (Paintshop Pro in my case - I find it easier for this job than Ye Olde Photoshoppe). I load the first scan in and then expand the "canvas" (or "background") of that scan as large as the final composite image needs to be (in your case, you will need to make the canvas wider). I then add the other scans one at a time as transparent selections and move them into position by eye using the mouse (zoom in on a part of the image where you can see the two match up correctly). I believe there are programs that make stitching simpler but have not tried any as it's only a very occasional need for me - you might want to try some if it is going to be a common task for you.

Good luck, Bob.

Another option is to outsource the scans to a shop. I'm not sure how much they would charge but if you only want resolution for web it might be reasonable.

Thanks alot guys for the information. It's forums like this where when in need help its just right around the corner.

Regards
Michael Andersen

Michael,

I've had the same problem with my 8x20 work. I have tried stitching the scans together. But even keeping the same settings for both scans I've had trouble matching the tone as you rotate the negative in the scanner.

I've experimented with a copy stand and d*g*** camera. the results have been better then the stitching scans, but still not really what I'm looking for. That's why I only have a few of my 8x20 images on my site.

Hopefully this month I'll get a chance to try one of the cameras from work in the copy stand. Maybe that will do a better job then the little digi I have.

The other thing I want to try is using a light table to shoot a proof of the 8x20 negative. I've been scan-proofing my 8x10 and smaller negatives for a number of years now. I'd like to do the same with the 8x20.