How to Tell Slide Fronts from Slide Backs When Stacking

We’ve worked on this since 2002 and keep refining instructions so your slides arrive in the right order and orientation for scanning.

Quick rule: 99 times out of 100, the “blank” side of a slide mount is the BACK. If you’re unsure on a slide, use the test below.

Look through each side of the slide and when the scene looks right, place it down on the table with the side you just looked through (the BACK) facing UP. The FRONT will be DOWN.
This will be the FIRST (#1) slide in your stack.
Do the same with every other slide to go in this stack. Each one on top of the previous.
When the stack starts to get too high, flip the stack over and put a label on the top slide which is still the first slide in the stack and label it Folder #1. Rubber band the stack (use multiple rubber bands).
Do the same for subsequent slides and stacks. (Make sure you ROTATE each slide so they are ALL in the landscape orientation. We will correctly rotate them after scanning.)
If you want multiple stacks to go in the same Folder, label your stacks like this: #1A, #1B, #1C, etc. These will ALL go into Folder #1.
Viewed through the “back” of a slide, a sign will read correctly.
The film on the back of the slide will also be somewhat glossier than the front. The front of the slide has the emulsion, which is slightly duller (sometimes hard to determine).
Some slides will even have “This side towards screen” printed or embossed on the FRONTS of the slide mounts. Some plastic mounts are BLACK on the FRONT and white on the BACK.