Requesting Advice For a Newbie

[carney2]

I shoot film - mostly slides. I am readiy to take the digital plunge - all the way up to my ankles. I will be purchasing a film scanner - probably the Dimage Scan Elite 5400, but that is still up in the air. My question is

besides the scanner and some editing software - let's say, Photoshop Elements - what else will I need?

[Arctirus]

If you really want to get technical a stylus and tablet are the way to go for photoshop. I still haven't gotten there myself but I hear that one you use those you will never use a mouse again. Anyway, sounds like your set to me.

Where in PA are you?

[another view]

Haven't used a tablet yet myself but they look interesting. There are some really good Photoshop books out there - Scott Kelby's are probably the most straightforward for a photographer to understand. Look for "Adobe Photoshop (Elements, CS or whatever) for Digital Photographers".

Digital images can take a lot of memory. Don't leave them on the hard drive on your computer - if it goes (as mine did two weeks ago) then they're just plain gone. You may already have a CD burner - that's a good way to do it but slow to find an image. Another option is an external USB2 hard drive, very fast and getting less expensive all the time. I turn mine on only when using it so that if there is a problem with the computer (virus?) then it won't be affected - hopefully. Best is both for two sets of backup.

Also - pressurized air to blow the dust off before scanning. Some stuff you can't see will still show up, but this makes life easier. I use a blower bulb but some people use the cans of air made for cleaning out computers.