Maybe this is helpful...
Since I´m now a full-fledged (and unemployed...duh) media designer, here are some tips for scanning a pic. I´m trying to make it as easy as possible - technical english is not my strength... <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
1. Try to take only pics which are properly exposed! This is pretty important, as the minority of you owns a scanner which can handle this to good results (I´m expecting that most of you won´t paid $1000 for it...). Otherwise, the pics look dull, too sharp/bright or wrong in colours.
If you want to (and if you dare!), play around with varying settings of colour, hue and contrast, but don´t overdo it - sometimes the results look interesting, most times don´t.
2. Set the scan to 72 dpi (some scanware offers 75 dpi). More is unnecessary, you will only blow up the data size. Only exception: small pics used for passports etc.
Scan those with 150 dpi, import to your picture software (e.g. Photoshop) and reduce resolution to 72 dpi but keep the proportions. If that´s still too small for you, increase scan rate dividable by 75 (300, 450, 600...), common are 300 or 600 dpi.
If you are experiencing some kind of patterns (these are called Moiré or Moiré Effect), check out if your scanware offers a selection to avoid them.
3. Make it a JPEG! After you think that everything´s okay with that pic, convert it to .jpg-format. This helps reducing data size a lot. Recommended is a maximal data size of 15 k. Generally, keep it as small as possible - not everyone is using ADSL or even more sophisticated technology... <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
This is also a border for your actual pic size...even if you set the quality on zero, you won´t squish a 10x10 inch pic to 15k... <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">
Well...a small advice from me... <img src="wink.gif" border="0">