videobear
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Oct 12, 2005, 1:36 PM
Post #2 of 5
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Re: [dansen] DVD photo albums and importing pictures
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Photoshop, or one of its competitors, is what you need. There are whole books on photo retouching, so I won't go into the many ways to remove "marks", except to say: Don't add any new marks. Make sure your scanner bed is clean!
You don't want to "stretch" the image, unless you want people to look skinnier or fatter than they are. But you do need it to fit inside a video frame. Try this procedure:
1. Scan the image at 300 dpi. Create a scanning selection window that has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The easiest way to insure a fit when displayed in video is to scan an area that's 720x534 pixels, or any multiple of that.
2. Or, if your scanning software doesn't let you make a selection like that, bring the scanned image into Photoshop. Choose Select/All, and Edit/Copy. Now open a new image window, 720x534 pixels, and choose Paste. Resize the pasted image if necessary to fit in the frame.
3. If you wind up with blank space at the sides, make a new layer and create a frame for the image.
4. When you're ready to save the image, re-size it to 720x480 pixels, making sure that "Constrain Proportions" is turned off. This will make the image look slightly squashed, but it will be re-stretched later when it's displayed on a video monitor.
Another way to capture images that will automatically be correctly sized for video is to use your camcorder instead of a scanner. Many editing programs will allow you to capture stills directly from the camcorder. Or, you can simply record a short video clip of the picture. When using your camcorder to capture photos, you'll want the following equipment:
- A couple of lights that you can position so that they light the photo evenly, but don't produce a reflection.
- A tripod or camera stand that lets you shoot straight down (or mount the pix on a wall).
- A means of keeping the photo flat. I use a sheet of nonreflective glass from a framing store.
- A set of macro lenses, or "diopters" for your camcorder. This allows you to use the camera's zoom on objects within the lens's minimum focus distance, and still keep things in focus. Tiffen sells a set of three for about $50.
Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions
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