To scan photos, you have two scanning options: WIA and TWAIN.  Scanning photos is easiest using  WIA.  With this simple scan method, your Brother scanner works seemlessly with ScanSpeeder's photo scanning software.  

WIA provides you with ScanSpeeder's: best in the industry auto-detection, auto-splitting, batch scanning, auto-straightening, digitally tagging, and automatically saving photos as both JPEG and TIFF.  

If you would like to enhance your photos while scanning, then use the TWAIN scanning method.  TWAIN allows ScanSpeeder to work with Brother's photo enhancement software to give you a few tools to touch up those old photos while you are digitizing them.  Unlike WIA, the TWAIN scanning method takes a little setting up, but is still quite simple to use.  Let me show you...

Scan Photos with TWAIN - on your Brother Scanner

Step 1

Open ScanSpeeder:

1. Click the Scanner button in Step 1.
2. Select a scanner driver with (TWAIN) in the name.
3. Check Advanced Mode.

Step 2

Click Scan.

The TWAIN Brother screen will appear. Choose the following options:

1. Photo
2. Resolution: 600 dpi and 24 bit Color

• Use color even for old black and white photos --> 24-bit color gives superior results for both black and white and color photos

• 600 dpi is optimal --> archival quality at a speed quick enough for batch scanning; higher dpi makes scanning multiple photos tediously slow

3. Document Size: Letter

• Important! Ensure AUTO CROP is NOT selected. Auto-detection of photos will NOT occur if auto crop is selected!

       DO NOT SELECT AUTO CROP! 

4. Click PreScan.

Step 3

1. You get the opportunity now to enhance your photos!  I recommend you play around a bit with the settings as shown below.  After exploring the brightness and contrast, you will get a feel for what each batch of photos needs.
2. To see how the changes look you will need to click PreScan.      

• Do not worry about the rotation of photos.  ScanSpeeder will handle this later. Right now you are using the Brother software.  ScanSpeeder starts working in the next step. 

1. When you are happy with the look of your photos, click Start.

Step 4

ScanSpeeder now takes over.  Your photos will be auto-detected, separated, and batch scanned.  You will continue using ScanSpeeder as you normally would.  For the basics of scanning, please refer to this article.  Continue with ScanSpeeder by click the 'Extract Photos' button in Step 2.  You will now be able to rotate the photos, etc.  

In Summary - If you do not need to enhance photos, save yourself effort and time by using the WIA (simple) scan method.  If you want to enhance photos, then use TWAIN following the instructions above.  If you take anything away from this article, please ensure  Auto Crop is NOT selected to allow ScanSpeeder to auto-detect your photos for you.

Interested in learning more about photo scanning?  See Top 10 Photo Scanning Tips.