Add Some Cheese
Pictures are a large part of Genealogy Research. One of the first things I inherited from my grandfather’s estate was a box of pictures. I spent years trying to find out who the people were and even with asking some of my older relatives, I got a lot of shoulder shrugs and I dunno’s. I was able to identify some of the pictures, but many lay sadly in a box, waiting for their names to be restored.
So, here are a few thought for you when dealing with your pictures, whether Genealogy based or not.
First of all, when you take a picture, keep a log.
Picture Number 1001 is: Uncle Joe and Aunt Ruth Smith at the family reunion in Barsto, Ohio, May 5, 1985.
It’s really that simple. then, go to any art supply and buy what is commonly refered to as a Photographer’s Pencil. It is an extremely soft lead pencil that allows you to write on the photo the same information that is in the photo log. That way the two documents compliment and correlate with each other.
I know, you next question is, what happens with digital photography? You number the photos in their file name and also put identifying information in the file name. joe-ruth-smith-1001.jpg. Then you record them in a database, spreadsheet or any one of a number of photography cataloging software packages.
The next issue that always comes to mind, is do I leave the picture in its original form, or do I modify it to remove scratches and other damage. Quite frankly, I do both, except in unusual cases. I never destroy an original for a modified copy, but I modify almost every picture, especially if I intend to use it in publication. Nobody wants to look at a scratched up mess of a picture nor do they want to look at something that could have been corrected with some software.
I have even gone to the extent of modifying pictures to include missing individuals. For instance, I took a picture of my mother and her brothers at a reunion many years ago. Two of the brothers did not make it to that reunion. So I created a picture with those two brothers included so that all of them could be recorded in the same photo. While it took some time and ability to achieve this, I know that it was worth it to show a complete group versus two individuals missing.
Taking pictures of cemeteries and stones also presents some challenges. Unless you are extremely careful and watch your shadows and also take the time to clear any grass or other vegetation away from the stone, you are going to end up with a picture that requires editing. Here again I like to play a bit and merge pictures of the living with their stones. Who are these names on this stone?
I use a product called Paint Shop Pro to do all my photo editing. It retails for around $100 but you can usually catch it at Best Buy on sale for around $49.95, if you watch their ads. While it does not have all the features of Photoshop, it is more than adequate for most of the things a Genealogist may want to do to a picture. take a look at my Photo Editing page on Genealogyland. Those are but a few of the pictures I have edited and fixed using the software.
I leave you with a picture of my grandfather John H. Sweitzer and his ghost of Christmas Past.
A little bit of Holiday Humor……
Leave a reply.
You must be logged in
log in
