He was a really handsome dude, mama mia. I also could recognize Sal's typical facial expression - nothing has changed really. They are pretty much the same, it seems.

I scanned many of Sal's loose photos

from his childhood as well as a young man. Restaurated them partially. There are also photos from the time when he started to get gray in his hair in the end of his 30s, early 40s. The photos he had loosely collected, stored at his mom in Adrano, which lies southwest of the Etna volcano. Last time we visited her in April 2024, we took with us a bunch of photos stored in her attic.

Integrated scanner (ET-8550)

Now that I happen to have an integrated scanner in the new Epson EcoTank ET-8550 Printer, i thought i could test the scanner. It does a delightful job - and is remarkable silent, too. At least there isn't much noise. The software is typically Epson, which I have been familiar with for 20+ years. Therefore it was easy to get into scanning with the new printer.

(It wasn't my aim to have a printer with built-in scanner - because I have already an excellent scanner: the Epson Perfection V700 Photo - for positives, negatives as well images and photos / documents / book pages etc). It is however now in the bedroom / darkroom.

• First test alignment tests printed with Epson ET-8550

Since the new A3+ printer has a scanner integrated

it does save a lot of space. That is pretty cool, I must say. Well the whole machine is a really cool one ! I'll use the scanner as long it is about scanning images, but not negatives. Anyway; the latter i scan with cameras nowadays... due to the truly high quality. And that might make the Epson Photo V700 obsolete. No aactually it doesn't. The quality from the V700 is still superior. The ET-8550 ain't doing transparencies (such as X-rays).

It only does reflective scanning.

I keep the Epson V700 Photo scanner definitely as a backup. Printed two images with the new printer - and they came out nicely. Not as sharp, because the original images where small (and DUSTY !!) positive photo copies. The printed size was much larger with A4 comaprd to the small 10-15 cm images. Yet, it resulted into decent home made quality prints; simple and nice - nothing extra ordinary.

Sal loved them. Revival of his much younger self, with wavy long hair in the age around 25-26, i believe.

The print looked similar to the results from the small Epson EcoTank ET-1810. Both make prints that are slightly cooler - compared to the look on my computer screen. I haven't made any prints yet from digital photos, yet.

Nice in A3 size

(Later: i have made a few A3 glossy prints - looking gorgeous). No it ain't professional I am an insect when it comes to real time experience with printing. So, I am really like a dude 25 years ago, starting to make baby steps. However now in my age, i tell myself... When it looks beautiful to the naked eye - and from it also feels good from the view of a (third eye) photographer - then I fully accept it as such.

The world of printing - a whole different story

I am also aware that the world of printing is quite different in real life, to see the prints on paper - compared to motives on a screen. I notice that many motives actually are not as cool or awesome, once printed. So, the selection of motives is rather tricky.

But I am learning.

While trying to have fun in the mean time. It is actually nice to see images as real physical prints ! I am also delighted that today's eye based prints, hold up much longer compared to those exposed to light 25 years - which faded almost entirely (unprotected, loosely pinned on the wall - after 6-12 months. (Excerpt photos when stored in darkness - which are still OK(ish) after 25 years. Today they hold up 100-200 years in darkness at 50% humidity, stored in normal room temperature.