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Duplicate and Conquer!

John Barlowe

Frequent Poster
Messages
285
Location
Holland, Oh 43528
Company
Frame Shop Art Gallery & Gifts
Here are a couple of recent projects where the ability to do something even as simple as scanning / resizing and printing a photo can turn into nice projects. Remember your BB store can not do this.

First project was fairly straight forward if you have even basic knowledge of scanning and resizing.
  • Photo of man with dog was 16x20 so it needed scanned-stitched and resized to 5x7.
  • Male with flag was an 8x10 on copy paper - scanned - mild touchup and resized to 5x7
  • Old B&W wallet was scanned - toned olive and sized to 5x7
  • Other 2 photos were digital files that I cropped and sized to 5x7
  • Finally I digitally added names to each photo
This resulted in two custom frame orders.
1553255_10152433494772105_7523208812014815792_o.jpg


This second project would not have happened if it were not for Photo Restoration and Duplication ability - again your Big Box store and many of your local competitors can not do this.

  • First I scanned and restored the 16x20 photo you see in the background. It was resized as a 4x6 for this project.
  • I then duplicated the certificates and aged them to look like original
  • Scanned and reprinted the letter adding the last couple of sentences that were on the verso. Aged the letter with creases and folds as well as reproduced the envelope and small wallet photo.
The customer was doing this for her brother but was not going to give up the originals to him.
10841918_10152437528497105_2245457920089021654_o.jpg


I'm not preaching here - but if you don't know how to do this - take some classes and it will set you apart from your competition.
 
John is absolutely right. I do at least one project a week that involves some form of digital photo or printing work. I get a lot of jobs I would not get otherwise because I can do this in-house as a one-stop.

We also do a fair amount of scanning and printing rare or delicate documents for framing. Most customers do not even know this is possible until we tell them about it. A sample of an original and a framed duplicate will close the sale.

The basics do not have a steep learning curve, and you can get started with a scanner and Photoshop Elements. There are several choices for labs you can email your digital file to for more complicated photoshop work. Or for that matter, PPFA members who do this work regularly.
 
Wow, that is a great deal! I have a V750. I too like being able to fold the top our of the way or even remove it altogether. I had forgotten that Epson almost always includes Photoshop Elements with their scanners. This scanner would do anything you needed to test the water.

It has to be one of the least expensive add-ons you could have in your business.

My customers are amazed that I can take something large and make it small.
 
John, I noticed you said you scanned the 16 x 20.

The scanner suggested in a prior thread is the same size as what I have with a max of around 10 x 12. Do you have a larger scanner, or do you just scan sections and merge?

thanks
 
Russ, I did scan the 16x20 in sections and stitched it back together. You can do that in many programs such as PhotoShop Elements. Right now on the Epson Clearance store they have a V370 scanner with shipping for $89.95 which I just purchased as replacement for my older Epson. The V370 has a flip lid and comes with software Arc Scan and Stitch Deluxe which will auto stitch for you.



PS. Husband was just in to pick-up the frame order above with the letter and decided to go ahead and order another just like it. :)
 
Russ, a lot of these programs will do it pretty much automatically. There is a real inexpensive program called Scan & Stitch that will do most of the basic stitching, though it sometimes has trouble when there isn't clear contrast in the image.

Photoshop allows you to just select the files and will do it with a couple of mouse clicks.

None of them is perfect and sometimes you have to patiently work with them, but the results are outstanding. I have done some really large paintings this way, but anything over twice the length of the scanning bed requires that you be able to move the scanner cover out of the way.
 
John, I always enjoy seeing your promotional graphics. They are outstanding.
I use Photoshop Elements, and that stitch/panorama tool is fantastic. I often have to scan pictures bigger than my all-in-one's scanner, so I do it in sections, then rotate and stitch them.
:cool: Rick
 
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