Photo Print Scanning Service
Waco, Texas
Flatbed scanning for loose paper prints up to 8×10. Color and black-and-white. Higher resolution for small prints. TIFF + JPEG output. Originals returned.
What to expect
Paper prints are scanned on a flatbed at 600 DPI for standard sizes (4×6 and larger). A 4×6 at 600 DPI produces a 2,400×3,600 pixel file — plenty for screen use and reprinting at the same size.
Prints smaller than 4×6 — wallet photos, postcard-size prints, small identification photos — are scanned at 1,200 DPI to provide enough resolution to see the image clearly and reprint at a usable size.
Color correction is applied to improve faded or yellowed prints. Black-and-white prints are processed separately for optimal tonal range. Output: one TIFF (lossless) and one JPEG per print, organized by batch or album as labeled.
What we handle
Standard loose paper prints from roughly 1950 to present. Common sources include:
- Consumer photo lab prints (Kodak, Fuji, Agfa paper)
- Drugstore and grocery-store photo prints
- School portraits and yearbook prints
- Snapshot prints from family albums
- Wallet-size prints and identification photos
- Black-and-white prints from 1950s–1980s
We don't handle: prints larger than 8×10, mounted photos in frames, prints attached to album pages (loose prints only), daguerreotypes, tintypes, or other early photographic processes.
How to prepare your prints for shipping
- → Remove prints from albums if possible — prints still in albums can't be flatbed scanned; loose prints only
- → Don't stack prints face-to-face without interleaving — glossy prints can stick together or transfer emulsion
- → Keep prints organized in labeled groups if order matters (by event, year, family)
- → Curled or bent prints: note it in your intake form — mild curl is fine; heavy curl may affect scan quality
- → Ship in a rigid mailer or padded box to prevent bending. USPS Priority Mail recommended.
Questions about print scanning
My prints are still in the photo album. Do I need to remove them?
Yes, for flatbed scanning, prints need to be loose. If your prints are in a magnetic or sticky-page album (the kind with clear plastic overlays), the adhesive may have damaged them — proceed carefully when removing, and note any damage on your intake form.
If your prints are in pocket-sleeve albums, they should slide out without damage. If you're unsure whether removal will damage the prints, describe the album type in your intake notes and we'll advise.
My old prints have yellowed or faded badly. Can they still be scanned?
Yes. Color correction software can substantially improve yellowing, color shift, and fading in paper prints. The result won't look like a new photo — it will look like a restored version of the original. Prints that are physically intact (not torn, not stuck together, not mold-damaged beyond legibility) will generally produce usable scans.
Can you scan prints that have writing on the back?
We scan the front face of prints only unless you specifically request back scanning. If notes, dates, or names on the back are important to you, mention it in your intake form special instructions — we can do a back scan of selected prints at no extra charge for small quantities.
Is 600 DPI enough to reprint these photos?
At 600 DPI, a 4×6 print produces a 2,400×3,600 pixel file. Print labs typically print at 300 DPI, so this gives you a file that can reprint at 4×6 at full quality, or at 8×12 at acceptable quality. For prints smaller than 4×6 that you want to reprint at a larger size, the 1,200 DPI scan gives more headroom.
These are not archival museum specifications. They're practical digitization for family preservation and reprinting.
I have hundreds of prints mixed with negatives and slides. Can I send them together?
Yes. Use the "Mixed" option on the intake form. Pack prints separately from film in the same shipment (prints in one labeled stack, film in its own sleeves or carousels). We'll count and log each type on intake and apply the appropriate scan settings.