In at least one implementation, when the fingerprint scanner 10 is in standby mode ready to begin the process of capturing fingerprint images for each finger, the scanner 10 can constantly or intermittently activate a light using a first color as a first signal. The finger indicator 28 of the visual display 14 can identify which fingerprint the fingerprint scanner 10 will capture by illuminating the light corresponding to that finger in red. For instance, the right hand thumb light 36 can be illuminated constantly at first indicating that the thumb print has yet to be captured. Later, the thumb light 36 can be pulsed using the color red. The intermittent or pulsing activation of the light 36 in red can convey to the user that the fingerprint scanner 10 is ready to capture fingerprint images. The user can then press the scan function to begin the scanning process. In this implementation, the visual display 14 can pulse light according to one of three selected rates: slow, medium, and fast. While the slow, medium, and fast rates could have a variety of different relative rates attributed to them, one exemplary implementation can use rates of 0.5 seconds, 0.25 seconds, and 0.1 seconds, respectively. These raters refer to the length of time the light is illuminated followed by the length of time the light is not illuminated. For example, the slow rate would involve 0.5 seconds of illumination and then 0.5 seconds of non-illumination. Of course, other intervals, including uneven intervals may be used as desired. The method 200 proceeds to step 220.