How to Digitize a Photo Postcard
By ImgHeal · Updated
Keep the picture, message, postmark, and address connected without publishing private details unnecessarily.
Record both sides
Capture the complete front and reverse using a shared identifier. Include borders, publisher marks, and the postmark. Distinguish the mailing date from the date the picture was taken; the same postcard image may have circulated for years.
Make separate working copies
Crop a picture-only copy for restoration while keeping the full postcard master. Transcribe readable messages into notes and mark uncertain names. Avoid restoring a faint date into a crisp number and then using that number as historical evidence.
Choose an appropriate public version
For public sharing, consider whether addresses or family notes should remain private. Create a clearly labeled redacted derivative if needed. Preserve the unredacted source in the private archive so the public presentation does not become the only surviving record.
Check before you finish
- Link front and reverse captures.
- Separate mailing dates from image dates.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
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