If you’re like me an eighties kid you have tons of images laying around that were physically printed don’t you wish there was just a simple way to import them into the digital world other than scanning by the printer, which we all know takes like fooooooreeeveeeeeeer. We walk around with one of the smartest technologies in our pocket, there’s got to be a better way?

YES, there is!

That’s what today’s post is all about, I’m going to share my favorite way to do this as a professional photographer how to import your physical photographs into digital in the most simple and easy way.

What’s my secret?
Using the Google photo scan app.

I use the Google photo scan app literally to digitally archive my families past photographs that were taken by family members in Poland, here I am in 2021 holding a photograph taken by someone from my family from the early 1940s and 1930s and converting it into a digital format with my phone! Mind-Blown! Who would have ever thought technology would have the capability of doing something so cool like this? Imagine what the next 50 years are and where photographs will be, one Day one of my future family members will be holding one of my photos in a whole different way, will it be in VR? Digital Air Screens? I am definitely interested in seeing how that all work one day. Who doesn’t remember the famous Polaroid or Instant Kodak, we have come a long way!

How to scan your old photos using the Google Photo Scan App

  • find a room that’s well-lit natural during the day and a large table or floor surface clear of clutter and a simple background.
  • compile and get ready all your physical photos that you would like to scan first. I would suggest sorting them out first, so you can keep a digital archive in a particular order if that’s your thing.
  • once you’ve got that all sorted out download the Google Photo Scan app here is the direct link as well: https://www.google.com/photos/scan/
  • when you downloaded the Google Photo Scan app open it and follow the instructions guide.
  • Google will prompt you right away how to take your images, You will simply need to photograph 4 corners of the physical photo and Google Technology will stitch your photograph together digitally, they do all the magic for you. What’s amazing is if you have an Android phone you can easily access these photos taken on www.photos.google.com or via the Google photos App!

If you found my advice helpful and useful please leave a message below!
I’d love to see your first scan if you care to share I love photographs.

–
Paulina Fadrowska