Dear Nancy and friends,

I use to make the plates of shells for my Web site with scanner as the result
is much better than the digital camera mostly for compose the shell from
different view in one plate and don't have the shadow from the light.
Most of your questions are already answered from others friends, I have to add
some of my experience.
I have make cartons covered with black velvet and by removing or keep open the
cover of scanner I put this up of the shells on support in the front and the
back of the scanner (the support can be a box and pieces of cartons for to
arrange the high to be a little higher than the shell) by this way you can scan
all the shells unless Cypraea, Olives and some other which you can't make to
stay in the position that you want. For this I use to stick with a Sticky Stuf
on carton covered with black velvet paper, then I count the high of the
supports to be same with the shell then by keeping the shell with my finger I
put the carton and the shell carefully on the scanner.
For dark color shells or that has part of dark color as Cyp. talpa the black
cover don't work, in this case I use white or cream paper.
I use to scan in 720 dpi, prescan in automatic mod and depending the size of
the shell I adjust the size of the images how % I want.
After scanning the shell from different view by using the Corel Photo-Paint 9 I
cut each position by lasso tool and I move in one plate and then I have to
arrange the shell in the plate, to adjust the direction, the brightness and the
color. Of course there are some more details you will learn in practice is
enough to have patience. Personally I need 1-2 hours for to prepare each plate.

I have lots of plates of shells in my Web site, if you compare my first plates
with the last ones (you can separate from the date of the shells) you will see
the progress that I have on time so you don't disappointed from your first
images.
Best regards.
George

Nancy Smith wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on getting good results with
> scanning specimens directly on a flatbed scanner.   I have never even
> remotely considered myself "graphically challenged", as a matter of fact it
> is a forte of mine, however I have not been able to get decent looking
> direct scans of specimens, most especially those very shiny ones like
> Cypraea.  I have seen sites where the author has obviously scanned the
> images directly and has had them come out quite good (however he appears
> not to want to share his methodology), so I know it's possible.  I've tried
> various approaches to this, all with no acceptable results.   Of course I
> realize that the best quality images are going to be photographic but when
> one begins cataloging images of specimens, and at least three photos per
> specimen (showing all orientations), developing gets ridiculous in
> price.  I don't have a digital camera; I'm more of a 35 mm purist in that
> respect.
>
> At any rate, suggestions, hints, methods, or any ideas for directly
> scanning shells would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Regards,
> Nancy Smith

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George Sangiouloglou     http://www.geocities.com/~sangioul/
Xenofondos 40            http://members.xoom.com/sangioul/
Voula 16673              Phone +30 1 8955241  9659956
Athens Greece            Modem-Fax +30 1 8954507
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