A question about digital scanning, and printing plus why I didn't become a Rock photographer...

[electric_blue68]

Story first (and applicable)

So, I love making art, and taking photos! 🎨 📷 I also love live concerts (various styles). One of my favorites is Rock.

I've taken occasional photos of bands I really like, to seriously following, and photographing my favorites through decades ; depending on how far away my seats were. I used to sneak my SLR w reg, and telephoto lens into arenas! 😄 This was when they were serious about limiting photography. I was very, very good. (rare now since 10's bc $ issues, then still concerned w Covid). I think I would have done well.
One of my photos even won a contest from a modest (not the most well known) Rock Magazine (not like RS, or Creem, etc).

But 1) I originally have so-so hearing, and permanent tintinitus in one ear from a show when I was 16. (not the worst kind that drives 😔 some folks round the bend!) So that wouldn't have been too good to excessively expose them even more even w protection. 2) l didn't want to sit through bands I really didn't like 😄 bc at least to my thinking - that's what It'd take quantity wise to make a partial living at least.

So to my questions. 🙂

While somewhat grainy (Tri-X 400 pushed to ?1200) depending on blowing up a section - I have some wonderful B&W photos of The Who from their 🧡 Who's Next Tour 1971.
My Art College let any student use their Photography Lab, even in the summer time! I got film professionally processed with contact sheets bc I hadn't yet learned how to process a film roll. And w something that precious to me; even if I had learned I'd let very experienced people take care of it !
Some time over that summer I lost 3 of my 4 rolls of negatives! 😫😭😭😭 The 4th one I still had was the further away one.
The only 2 lucky things were 1) I'd already printed a bunch of my favorites, 2) I don't think anyone found them, and made prints, and sold them bc I never saw any in all the rock mags back then, nor local newspapers. (I could be wrong, but I once saw on FB a photographer like 4-7+ yrs back mentioning they hardly saw photos from the WN Tour, and he had taken some if anyone was interested.)

Besides from the obvious action of taking them to a professional - I could have these contact sheets digitally scanned, right? Then what? They're on a SD Card? I upload them to a computer: pick out, zoom in a bit if I want, compose, and print - right?
(I've made digital art on a computer, and composed, and printed my later in life: various kinds of subjects using digital photography, Including Rock- like U2).

Tia!
No rush on answers; gonna to take a good while to save up anyway if this ( I hope) is a viable option.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Welcome to the Photo Group, my dear electric_blue68!

I THINK that you're correct about scanning your contact sheets. But I'm not completely sure.

The steps after that are correct: upload to a computer, do what editing you want and so on.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I am will come along and clarify!

[electric_blue68]

5. Hi, California Peggy! And TY.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Copy prints w high resolution DSLR/"full-frame" camera (50MP+) to pick out individual film grains

Good ordinary scanners are about 300 pixels per inch. On an 8x10 inch print, that's 2400 x 3000 px = 7.2 Mpx.

Set up a simple copy setup and shovel the prints through it in one big run.

I did a similar thing with a macro lens on a simple 8x10 lightbox to copy slide (35mm transparencies).

[electric_blue68]

9. Thank you. See my reply #5.

[usonian]

3. Short answer. More if requested.

A camera or scanner will get you digital files. The advantage of a scanner, and mine is ancient, is even illumination. Otherwise, you'll have to illuminate the print so as not to get reflections or shadows from the camera.

A scanner will send the data (jpegs) to your computer. A camera will store on an SD card, which you pop into the computer (some need a card adapter) or wire or wireless.

The processing is as simple or as complex as you like. I use the mac Preview app a lot, because the photos need little or no improvement, Mostly cropping. I can recommend free software to do more complex work.

Stores will print if you don't have a printer. I talked my daughter out of buying a printer just for a few photos.

📸

[electric_blue68]

8. Thanks, see my #5 reply.

[justaprogressive]

4. I have good news

Even my 16yr old Canon could do 600DPI...

This $200 Brother ADS-1250W scanner has the following specs:

Resolution

Interpolated Up to 1200 x 1200 dpi

Optical Up to 600 x 600 dpi


Some info about scanning photos...

[link:https://www.brother-usa.com/scanning-photos|

HTH

[electric_blue68]

7. Ty, see my reply #5.

[electric_blue68]

6. Thanks to each of you: Bernard, unison, and justa. 👍

I'd been too tired, or sleepy to properly respond in a clear manner.

Unfortunately I don't have the equipment to set up a stand etc. I don't need a scanner in general so I wouldn't buy one just for this.

Giving me info on the dpi capabilities of great help when I do get to go to a professional place, I can ask questions about any choices I might have.

Right now I have a computer (took it last minute with my unexpected move) - but I'd already tossed the keyboard, and mouse by then. Ohhhh, well.

I guess eventually I'll get them scanned, and ask for the info to be put on a SD card - so when I do get a KB & mouse...
Or, I'll go to a place like Kinko's/Fed Ex, and use their Computers to do the selection, cropping, and printing there.

My Cannon, I think, is maybe broken, unless it's the one my sister gave me after she a bought a very nice higher grade camera. Otoh, that one may have broke. (I'm not careless w my equipment, but most things eventually wear out, etc. )

I did get one of my uncle's cameras from my cousin (his daughter). Hadn't tried out yet.
Soooo maybe at least to experiment I'll take a few close as I can get photos of my favorite shots, and take those to K/FdEx.
We'll see, it's a mid range project - some time this year, maybe by Oct.
🙂👍

Thanks again, everyone! 📷