PSA: Labs are not giving you "flat scans" for editing, they are giving you fully automatic default settings scans
If this common adage were true, that labs are all just giving you a nice flat scan for editing, why were these scanners and software made before it was even common to have photo editing software on your PC? They are designed to be printed, and displayed from the get go, its misleading advice for new people.
You should edit your scans, but the 8 bit jpg you are being given with the default grain reduction cranked to max are under no circumstances "intended" to be a good starting point for an edit.
>!Do you own scanning!<
u/charlorttel — 1 day ago