A Weekend of Gratitude, Scanning, and Family Photographs

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Every once in a while, a treasure falls into your lap that makes your heart skip a beat. I was blessed with a true windfall: boxes of old family photographs loaned to me for preservation.  Some were carefully labeled, others tucked loosely into envelopes, waiting patiently for their stories to be retold. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my weekend than surrounded by these images, scanning and preserving them for future generations.

As I sit here looking through the dusty boxes and flipping through the stacks of old albums, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. Spreading them out across my table, I see generations of faces looking back at me: smiling weddings, Sunday picnics, stoic portraits, and children with wide, mischievous grins.  Each face staring back at me is a reminder that we are all part of something bigger: a family story woven together by ordinary days and extraordinary moments.

And so, I’ve cleared my weekend schedule. My plan? Scan, preserve, and honor these photographs so they can continue to be shared for generations to come. I know the task ahead of me is a big one. Hundreds of photos means a lot of scanning, organizing, and planning.

I want to share a few of my strategies and the tools I’ll be using, because if you ever find yourself with a similar windfall, a little preparation makes the process much smoother.

My Weekend Scanning Game Plan

Before the hum of the scanner begins, I like to set myself up for success:

1. Create a Digital Home Set up folders on my computer. A little preparation now saves a lot of frustration later.  The idea is to make files easy to find.

   1. Here’s how I structure my folders:

• Set up a main folder called “Family Photos” 

• Set up subfolders within that main folder - for example, “Smith Family”, “Johnson Family”, etc.

  • If you want to take it further, you can also set up folders inside the subfolder for decades or events - for example, “1870-1900”, “1900-1930”, “Wedding”, “Reunions”, etc. (I generally don’t take it this far)

• Set up one folder for “Unidentified” photos (for those mystery photos we’ll figure out someday)

2. Sort Before You Scan  Before I even plug in a scanner, I sort the photos into categories: by family line, decade, or event. This way, when I’m renaming files, it’s easier to keep things organized.
   
   

3. Label as You Go  Each digital file will be renamed immediately (no more “IMG_0001.jpg” confusion). I use a simple structure like Surname_Firstname_Event_Year.

4. Add Metadata  Scanning is only the first step. Recording the “who, what, where, when” ensures the stories don’t get lost. I’ll be adding notes into my photo so future me and future generations can make sense of it all.  For unidentified photos, add comments with any details you do know or even theories about the subject. (If you’d like me to do a piece on adding Metadata, shoot me an email and let me know at branchesandbackroads@gmail.com) 

5. Back It Up  Photos are too precious to risk losing. Once I finish scanning, I copy them onto an external hard drive or upload them to a cloud backup service (Google Drive, Dropbox, or Backblaze).
   
   

Yes, scanning can be repetitive, but it’s also an invitation to slow down and see your family again. I find myself pausing often:

• Smiling at a photo of my grandmother.
  
  

• Laughing at my dad’s wild 1970s hair.
  
  

• Wondering what story lies behind a stiff, unsmiling ancestor.
  
  

This isn’t just preservation: it’s connection. By handling, scanning, and naming each photo, I’m honoring the lives that came before.

The Three Scanners I’m Using & Why

Since no two photo projects are alike, I’m bringing in a little scanner variety this weekend. Each one has its strengths, and together they’ll help me get the job done.

1. Epson Perfection V19II Color Photo Flatbed Scanner

• Best for: High-quality scans of prints, delicate photos, and odd sizes.
  
  

• Why I chose it: The flatbed gives me total control with no worries about damaging the photos. I use it for old tintypes, a curled photo from 1910, or that oversized class photo from the 1940s. It captures vibrant detail and is perfect for everything from a 5x7 portrait to an old postcard. When quality matters, this is my go-to.
  
  

2. CZUR Shine Ultra Smart Portable Book Scanner

• Best for: Albums, scrapbooks, or bound materials you don’t want to dismantle.
  
  

• Why I chose it: This scanner feels almost magical.  It scans from above, so I can capture a whole album page without peeling photos out and risking damage. It’s also great for oversized items that won’t fit on a flatbed. The software flattens curved pages and cleans up shadows beautifully, leaving a crisp, readable digital copy.

3. Epson ES-60W Sheet-fed Document Scanner

• Best for: Fast scanning of stacks of loose, standard-sized documents.  Great for that family history your Great Aunt typed up 50 years ago.
  
  

• Why I love it: Speed! This little portable scanner makes quick work of stacks of documents. It’s lightweight and slips into my bag (or you can get this neat little carrying case).  If I’m at the library and find a folder full of documents that I want to review later, I can quickly scan them on the spot and save them to my laptop.  It is also great for family visits, you never want to miss an opportunity to scan a few photos your cousin just found.
  
  

A Few Final Thoughts

I know this weekend will be full of sorting, labeling, and long hours in front of the scanner, but I can’t think of a better way to spend my time. These photos aren’t just images; they’re memories, milestones, and connections. Preserving them is a gift not only to myself but to every generation that comes after.

If you ever find yourself blessed with a box of family photographs, don’t let them languish in storage.  I encourage you to carve out time to scan, organize, and tell the stories behind the:    giving these photos new life through preservation and sharing. Each photo is a gift and preserving them is one of the best ways we can honor the people and stories that came before us.

By Sunday evening, I know I’ll be surrounded by piles of scanned photos, a tired scanner hum still echoing in my ears, and a heart full of gratitude. Because these aren’t just photos. They’re pieces of your story, waiting to be shared.

Your turn

So here’s my challenge to you: don’t let those albums and boxes keep collecting dust in the closet. Pick just one, even the one you’ve been putting off for years, and start scanning this week. You don’t need to do it all at once; even one album is a meaningful step toward preserving your family’s story. Each photo you digitize is a memory safeguarded, a voice carried forward, and a gift for generations yet to come.