The scanning software used to acquire these images is DeskscanTM, which is included with the HP Scanjet 4C. This is where the resolution is set to 300 dpi, the color set to 24 bit (referred to as sharp millions of colors in the selection menu), the image size determined, the specimen framed, and the image captured to disk. In addition, the image sharpening is changed from normal to heavy to increase the detail of venation in the dragonfly wings.

Once the image is captured, it is then viewed using Adobe PhotoshopTM, although many other viewers such as Corel DrawTM and Lview will work as well. Using Photoshop, the image may be cropped if necessary and the copyright notice added. The image is also converted from a BMP file, the format used by Deskscan, to a JPG file with this software. The conversions here have the image detail set to maximum. This reduces the amount a file may be compressed, but it also reduces to a minimum any loss of color or detail. When these JPG files are displayed alongside the original BMP files, no differences can be observed.

Once the file is in the desired format it is ready to be posted on the web site, transmitted, archived, or sent to another software package. For printing, we use an Epson Color Stylus Pro that can obtain a 720 dpi resolution. Images are printed from Adobe PagemakerTM. Pagemaker allows easy placement of the images on the page and text manipulation around the images