Recently a local photographer in my area in Scotland passed away.  He has left behind boxes of glass plate negatives showing the history in my area from fishing to farming and I've been asked if its possible to digitize them and put them on line for the Scottish fishieries museum.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what would be the best technique to doing this?.  I was thinking of putting them on a light box and shooting them as a flat copy then inversing the neg on photoshop. Or is there a better way using some sort of scanner?.

---

http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/malky1841s_gallery/default.aspx

I'm looking forward to learning the answer to this, but even more forward to seeing the images.  What a lovely task. 

Was he a close friend/collegue?  If so I am sorry for your loss.

---

I would think a scanner could be the best choice and quicker.

A quick check of the web suggests scanning as the best method. Make sure the scanner had ICE technology, which speeds things up. See Here and Here.

---

SK
The Best Photographer in the world 4th November - 5th November 2006 & 17th-18 November 2007
Oldboy’s Gallery

No just someone i saw around during public events, Life boat day and the likes, he was a local character but i never really got to speak to him.  Theres boxes and boxes of these things though! I thought once i was set up for a light box shot i could just rattle through them, A scanner takes ages to warm up /preview ect.

---

http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/malky1841s_gallery/default.aspx

Thanks for the info I'll look into it
All the best,
Mal

---

http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/malky1841s_gallery/default.aspx

I haven't read this tutorial all the way through, but it might help.  http://www.ppmag.com/bonus/2005/07/how-to-copy-glass-plates-negat.html

---

[Digital Black and white]

Thats brilliant thanks for that Keith.

---

http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/malky1841s_gallery/default.aspx

I used my scanner to do all my old family pics, loads of negatives that I had never seen the prints of. I placed the neg down, placed white paper behind it and set the scanner to scan negative to produce the positive. The advantage is no focusing, no alignment problems, and all instantly onto the hard drive. You can adjust the image if required in PS, and if you get a good flow going the lamp will not require to heat up again, just scan one after the other.

Good luck with which ever method you use.

 

Bob