Street Photography Magazine

mode. If this is not the case for your particular

model (and it usually isn’t), you can use

commercial third-party scan software such as

VueScanor SilverFast, both of which support

high-resolution scanning for a wide range of

scanner models.

Massive Resolution

An issue that can become a problem is the

large size of the image files that using this

technique creates, making it less tempting

to use maximum resolution every time. For

example, an A4-sized image scanned at

4800 spi and saved as a 16-bit TIFF produces

a 12.5-gigabyte file! Such dimensions can

cause hardware problems, and regularly

crashed Canon’s own software while making

test scans at 1200 spi on our 64-bit Windows 7

system with its 16 GB of memory. We used a

CanoScan 8800F, which is officially designed

to scan reflective documents at 1200, 2400 or

4800 spi.

VueScan didn’t crash while performing

the same test, but saved 1200-spi files for all

three nominal resolutions. The program’s

developers later told us that this is because

the program automatically reduces file size

to a maximum of two gigabytes to conform

to the maximum allowed by the TIFF

specification.SilverFasteffectively captured

1200-spi and 2400-spi scans, but also crashed

when we attempted to scan at 4800 spi.

Once you have found a combination of

hard- and software that works for you, the

rewards of all your efforts will be enormous

image files that beat anything that you can

capture in a single image using a conventional

digital camera. Our 2400 spi file captured

using SilverFast was 3.2 gigabytes and 556

megapixels in size, providing extremely high

resolution and very good image quality. We

were able to process the image without

restrictions using 64-bit Photoshop.

Working with Scanners

Scanographs don’t use the scanner’s lid in the

normal way. This is because many subjects are

simply too thick to fit under the lid, and also

because the deep black backgrounds that

make scanographs so effective can only be

produced if the light from the scan unit

‘disappears’ into the distance. You will have

to work in a darkened room to achieve this

effect, although complete darkness is not a

prerequisite. Simply make sure that no direct

light or reflections reach the scanner’s platen

during the scan.

It would help scanographers a great deal

with their compositions if scanners were to

include focusing functionality to pick out

specific subject details. However, most flatbed

scanners function on a fixed-focus basis and

only very expensive models, such as the Epson

Expression 10000XL have built-in autofocus

functionality.

Scanographic Art

The unique look and feel of these images has

already gained a firm following, and websites

such as http://www.scannography.org go a long

way toward showing what is possible using

easily available scanning gear and healthy

creative instincts. Scanography is already an

established alternative image creation method

on the international art scene. (jr/keh)

Macro Technique | Scanography

The depth of
field produced by
most scanners is
surprisingly large
for devices that
are primarily
designed
to capture
two-dimensional
documents and
images captured
on film.
This image of a
dog rose shows
very fine detail
and well saturated
Image: Werner Abel colors.