Sticky photos (with sparks!)

[Don]

I discovered something really "interesting" today...

Lately, I've been scanning a lot of photographs on the flatbed.
However, the scans occasionally have these random clusters of "gray
splotches". Nothing on the photo and the glass is spotless. Hmmm...!?

And today as I lifted the scanner cover I saw, what looked like, a
bunch of small holes in the photo with the bright scanner light
shining through. Huh...? After a double take I noticed the "holes"
shrinking and then disappearing. Double huh...?

Of course, there were no holes but parts of the photo seem to have
stuck to the glass which made those contact areas "transparent".
Sliding a finger over the back of the photo leaves a trail of sprites
and sparkles. Quite pretty, actually!

Apparently, due to high humidity (62% according to my weather station)
*glossy* photos tend to stick to the scanner glass! At least, that's
the only explanation I could come up with.

Now then, with holidays approaching these "sparklers" may appear
timely, but "we were not amused". Lots of photos to re-scan! Groan.

I've done quite a few things in my life, but nothing has been so full
of gotchas (and, frankly, frustrating) like scanning - both reflective
and transparencies. It seems like there's no end to out-of-left-field
"surprises" of this kind.

So, while I wait for humidity to drop, I guess there's nothing else to
do but sit back and nurse that eggnog... ;o)

Don.

 

[DavidTT]

I've done quite a few things in my life, but nothing has been so full
of gotchas (and, frankly, frustrating) like scanning - both reflective
and transparencies. It seems like there's no end to out-of-left-field
"surprises" of this kind.

I feel the same about my digital darkroom. It takes a lot of work to
reach a certain degree of quality result from each piece of the
equipment: scanner, monitor, printer, printer media, PS, etc. My take is
that digital photography is still in its infancy, and we bear the burden
of being the trailblazers (or guinea pigs).

 

[Don]

I feel the same about my digital darkroom. It takes a lot of work to
reach a certain degree of quality result from each piece of the
equipment: scanner, monitor, printer, printer media, PS, etc. My take is
that digital photography is still in its infancy, and we bear the burden
of being the trailblazers (or guinea pigs).

What keeps surprising me is how out of left field these things are.

I mean, who would have guessed that you can't scan glossy photographs
when the humidity gets too high!?

Don.

 

[camera critter]

Is your problem with too high of humidity
due to your geographic location,
or too high of setting on your indoor humidifier?

Relatively few people are aware of the potential danger
when glossy photographs are framed under glass
without the benefit of an overmat.

If an overmat is not used when framing under glass,
then high humidity can cause the expanding gelatin of the
photograph to adhere permanently to the overlying glass.

_______________________
_______________________

 

[Don]

Is your problem with too high of humidity
due to your geographic location,
or too high of setting on your indoor humidifier?

No, it's just the season. It's been quite wet lately (rain, fog) with
humidity to match. So it is the geography.

Relatively few people are aware of the potential danger
when glossy photographs are framed under glass
without the benefit of an overmat.

If an overmat is not used when framing under glass,
then high humidity can cause the expanding gelatin of the
photograph to adhere permanently to the overlying glass.

I was really surprised to discover this on the scanner. Of course, on
reflection it's to be expected, but the frustrating thing is I have to
wait for the weather to improve and - worst of all - I have many
photographs I need to re-scan just to be on he safe side.

Don.

 

[Don]

Apparently, due to high humidity (62% according to my weather station)
*glossy* photos tend to stick to the scanner glass! At least, that's
the only explanation I could come up with.

I found the solution for this! Well, a solution...

I leave the lid open and use a few strategically placed small coins to
keep the photo flat. The coins are heavy enough to prevent the photo
from curling, yet not as heavy as the lid to cause the photo to stick
to the glass and result in those ugly artifacts.

Of course, with the lid up, dust is having a field day, but it beats
waiting for the summer and the humidity to go down... ;o)

Don.