Pic Scanner Gold - a Treat to Use!

Recently I was offered a free copy of a new app called Pic Scanner Gold. Since I'm all about rescuing, scanning, and preserving photographs, I jumped at the chance to try it out. Long story short, I love it! If you're a genealogist this app is for you. I have other scanners but what I like about this app is that if I don't have my mobile scanner with me, I can just pull my phone out of my purse and bingo - I'm set to grab scans of documents or family photos at auntie's house.

The Details

There is so much this scanner app has to offer - blemish control, crop, rotate, blur, focus, and more. The tools are a lot of fun to play with but make sure you have lots of time to try various things!

Easy Instructions
 
When you first start the app you are at the Home page. Select your photo, choose Scanner, and the app detects the photo. Snap it and the photo pops into Gallery where you can select it and start playing with the tools. Here are a few screenshots I took as I played with my first photo:

My scan was crooked because I held the camera incorrectly

The crooked scan can be easily fixed using the Rotate tool

Photo scan rotated

Photo scan sharpened

Add a free frame for fun

Maybe you prefer Vignette

You can create albums to keep your scans organized - and that's a real boon for genealogists! You can even create slide shows. You can add notes to your scans. All in all there are many goodies with this scanner, and they're easy to use with great results.

One piece of advice - don't use your iPad to scan as it is a bit more challenging to hold steady. I used my iPhone with no trouble.

Pic Scanner Gold has a FAQ online which has more information. The app is available in the App store

My Wall of Ancestors

This is my wall of ancestors. One of many. Each of the photos you see is of an ancestor - either mine or my husband's.

We intersperse them with antique paintings or prints, or wall clocks for a display that, as you can see, almost fills every inch of space!

They didn't come to us in frames (except one or two). I buy antique frames which my husband repairs if he needs to, then we have the original photos enlarged to fit. We choose a mat from the local framing shop and have it put together. Then I write on the back the details of the person, or family group, in the photo. It's our way of cherishing our ancestors, preserving family photographs, and ensuring that information on them carries on to the next generation who will welcome the photos into their protection.

Here are a few closeups of some of our ancestor photos on the wall. It was challenging to take photos due to glare from windows and height of some. I hope you are preserving and enjoying your family treasures.