Using a Scanner

Another way to work with not only photos, but also other illustrations, is with a scanner. With a scanner, you can take any imagea photograph, a drawing, a document, and so onand scan the image, saving it as a file on your computer. Like with a picture, you can then modify, print, and email the image. You can even include the image within a document. For instance, you can scan a picture of your family and insert it into your annual Christmas letter.

The exact steps for using your particular camera and scanner vary depending on the model you have. Therefore, you'll need to consult the documentation that came with the hardware to learn how to scan images.

Setting Up a Scanner

As with a printer, Windows should recognize your scanner after it is hooked up, query it for information, and (if it's a Plug and Play device) install it automatically. If this doesn't happen, you can use the Camera and Scanner Wizard (see "Setting Up Your Digital Camera" earlier in this chapter). The steps are the same, except you select your scanner. You can use a Windows XP driver or the driver supplied with your scanner.

Scanning an Image

If you have a flatbed scanner, you insert the picture or document you want to scan and then use the buttons on the scanner or the commands in the scanner program window to start the scan. The available program options will vary, so you need to check your own particular program for specific instructions.

After the document is scanned into the scan program, you have options for modifying, saving, and working with the image. Figure 12.10 shows options in PaperPort. You can crop, rotate, add text, and more. You can also print, email, rename, and insert the image into a document. See the section "Working with Pictures" for more information.

Figure 12.10. This figure shows the available options for editing a scanned image.