So your memories last forever
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHERE DOES THIS TAKE PLACE: Before Covid, all scanning sessions were at my office, and were by appointment only (no walk-ins accepted). As the office is temporarily closed to the public now, I do the scanning at my home office.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
It costs $75 for a one hour session, which includes the cost of an 8 gb micro SD card (including the adapter). You may purchase additional SD cards for $10 each (I duplicate the cards so if you have children or family or friends who might want a copy, no problem!) If you have a lot of documents, then a larger size SD card may be required (which I will provide for a minimal additional charge). Additional hours are $70 / hour. There is a one hour minimum charge and after one hour, I pro-rate the time, I simply bill for the time it takes. If it takes another 35 minutes, then I pro-rate for 35 minutes. I keep exceptionally good time-keeping records, and don't bill you for any time that isn't connected to your project.
HOW DO I PAY?
You can pay cash after the session is complete, or by Zelle through your bank.
WHAT CAN YOU SCAN?
Practically anything that's Legal size or smaller, that can be fed through a document feeder. Items include family recipes, insurance documents, instruction manuals, Wills & Power of Attorney deeds, love letters, divorce documents, drawings made by children and toddlers, instruction manuals, wine bottle labels, receipts, precious birthday and anniversary cards, postcards from around the world (being able to do front and back at the same time is very helpful!), and of course, photos of all shapes and sizes, some that were barely visible and so faded that within a few months, they'd have faded completely. Many photos have notes scrawled on the back, so double sided scans are great - that way you've got those too, and they can be just as important as the photo itself.
WILL YOU MAKE COPIES ON AN EXTRA SD CARD IF I ASK?
Of course! I will be able to duplicate your SD card then and there so you have a backup. I just charge you the cost of the SD card, $10 each. Please note, I do NOT scan the photos into a computer, so I have NO records of your photos and no copies. What you have on your SD card is the ONLY copy. If you want duplicates made, no problem, but if you lose that SD card, unfortunately I cannot help you - I'd have to scan them all over again. That's why I recommend getting at least one duplicate SD card, or else making copies yourself as soon as you get home.
WHAT IF MY DOCUMENTS ARE DOUBLE SIDED?
No problem! Sometimes, what's written on the back of a photo is as important as the photograph itself - dates, names of people, locations - all are crucial when taking a trip down memory lane. That's why I always scan both sides when I see writing on the back of a photo. It's the difference between knowing the photo was taking in 1956 at Heathrow Airport with Auntie Joan and her nephew Alex leaving for New York and the photo being taken sometime at some airport, with Auntie someone (can anyone remember who this is?) and her nephew Andrew or Antony....
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WON'T SCAN?
We won't scan anything inappropriate, which includes nudity of any kind, abuse or cruelty of any kind, including anything upsetting involving animals or children. Those kinds of images or documents will not be tolerated. We also won't scan professional copyrighted photos - all photos and documents must belong to you 100%. We recommend NOT scanning financial documents like bank statements or lists of passwords, because if you lose the SD card, anyone can access your files.
CAN YOU ENHANCE THE PHOTOS, OR ADJUST BRIGHTNESS/COLOR ETC.?
Sorry, no. For that kind of thing, the photos would need to be loaded into a computer and adjusted with special software, and as we specifically focus on privacy for our customers, we do not allow any of their images into our computers. We simply scan your documents are they are. If the photo images are dark, they will scan dark (you can lighten them later using your own software). If they are blurred, they will scan blurred. We don't make any changes to the pictures, what you see is what you get. The better the original, the better the scanned result.
HOW MANY PHOTOS CAN YOU SCAN IN AN HOUR?
It's hard to say exactly, but approximately 200 - 250 photos can be done in an hour, although if you have a very large document that needs flat-bed scanning, that can take a little longer. We time everything, from the moment we take the first photo out of the box, to the second we turn the scanning equipment off after we have put your last photo away. You don't get billed for any time that isn't spent on YOUR project. That way you're not billed anything extra, only for the time taken to scan your items. I stop the clock if I get a phone call or if I'm called away - and start it when I'm back working on your project.
YES! I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND BOOK A SESSION - HOW DO I DO THAT?
Easy! Sessions are by appointment only (no walk-ins accepted). Send me an email to wescanyourpics@gmail.com or call me at 9 5 4 - 6 3 7 - 3 1 5 3 and we can work out a time to meet. You can drop the photos off and as soon as they are ready, I will notify you. Payment is due upon collection of the photos and SD cards. Cash or Zelle (it is free and instantaneous) - but I won't release the SD cards until payment has been made.
Having all your memories in digital format is absolutely priceless. You won't regret it, the value far outweighs any costs.