Vuescan

I recently finished up a roll of Kodachrome and had it developed.  This got me thinking (again) how I was going to get my slides and negatives from my photographic beginning into a digital form.  I want to do this partly for backup purposes, and partly because it is much more likely I will see them if they are in my Lightroom catalog.

This is of particular importance because all the pictures I have of Kathryn until she was about 4 years old are on film!  The photo at the top was from way back when Kathryn was a little beaner.

I have an older film scanner, but it wasn't supported by Windows 7.  I found a program called Vuescan.  Not only does it work, but the scans seem better than what I used to get out of original software.

However, I really don't like all the dust and scratches that come with film.  Not to mention the scanning itself is ridiculously time-consuming.  There is a reason no one with sense uses film anymore.  I am only somewhat kidding.  However, I have decided I will at least play with it again.  The Kodachrome shooting was a fun diversion.

I never claimed to have any sense.

Kathryn's Birthday!

Today is Kathryn's birthday.  She is now 8 years old.

Eight is an interesting number.  Its the number of infinity (turn it on its side).  Also, Christ rose on the eighth day.  For those that are now thinking "no, it was the third day!", just think about it a second.

I borrowed a flatbed scanner with the intention of making and scanning in some line art, and possibly some pin hole photographs.  Because of Kathryn's birthday I decided to test it out a bit by scanning a couple of her infant pictures.  These are scans from prints, so they aren't the highest quality.  The dust and scratches were also cleaned up very fast.  It also appears I need clean the glass on the bed.  However, they still seem presentable, so here they are.  One of the things I need to do is scan in my old slides and negatives.  Well, if they are of family, or an event.  Anything else, I could probably make a similarly themed image now, just better.

I remember making these pictures.  Kathryn had, again, awoken at some unimaginably early hour, after keeping us up to some late hour, and of course screaming over night just long enough to wake us up.  Twice.  I took her out in the living room to play while Carly slept.  I had a partial roll of Fuji NPH 400 I needed to finish up sitting in my N80, so I made a few shots.

I also remember getting these back and seeing these two pictures.  I remember thinking, wow, these aren't bad!  Of course, it had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the morning light coming in our huge living room window.  Heh, I also remember the next roll of film. It reminded me I wasn't able to get shots like this consistently.  It was just one of the many, many mini-failures of my life!

Now, I suppose, after having quite a bit more practice, this is about my average "keeper".  But, at the time, it was a "stunner" level.  I remember looking, and looking, and looking at these.

I'm glad I have them, Kathryn is so big now!  Look at her then, she was so small, and had so little hair!