Family Photographs and Genealogy

Family photographs - love em or hate em, your stuck with em! As a budding genealogist be grateful that you have them, because family photographs can potentially provide you with information obtainable from no other source. You doubt that rash statement? Read on.

What Is Photography?

Many years ago I undertook a photography course. Along with composition and the finer points of using a pre-digital SLR camera, I learnt how to develop my own photos. A 'light bulb' moment occurred one time and I have never forgotten it. During a lecture, a question was asked by the teacher, "what is photography?" Well we all know the answer to that one don't we? It's light being captured by chemicals on film which when in the presence of certain other chemicals.... blah blah blah. But it was put far more eloquently in these words: photography is.... PAINTING WITH LIGHT. That statement had a profound affect on me. I was suddenly more conscious and confident in my role as an amateur photographer. I now had a greater regard for the process of taking photographs and in particular, family photographs.

If your feelings towards photography aren't quite as lofty as mine, that's okay. I just wanted to make the point that photography is in every sense of the word an art form and therefore deserves our respect.

Family Photographs - A Great Resource

Someone famous once said, a picture is worth a thousand words. There never was a truer statement made particularly when it comes to family photographs. A single photo can speak volumes about a place or a person and it's a shame that it's development has only occurred over relatively recent times. But think for a moment about all those photographs you have tucked away in a shoe box under the bed. They are priceless - yes, even the *daggy ones.

*Aussie slang meaning odd, unfashionable, devoid of any artistic merit eg. only half of Uncle Fred's head is showing.

Regard them as such and I promise you that your children will worship the ground you walk on and you will lead a fruitful and happy life....well, not quite. But you will have a greater regard for those old photos and treat them with the respect they deserve.

And why should you bother?

Because they are IRREPLACEABLE!

Each image is a single moment captured in time. You are literally looking into the past - your past. And I'm not just talking about the formal portraits. Quite often the casual shots will say the most about an ancestor.Look closely at the out of focus, cluttered photo of granny's backyard. Is that the rear end of a rusted T Model Ford? And there's another photo of a Model T with an unidentified driver behind the wheel. Could it be the same car? If so, maybe that's Grandpa driving! Even the worst shot in the world could contain valuable information amongst the fuzzy, under exposed images.

Preservation Methods

To preserve those precious memories my advice to you is firstly, make copies. That goes for ALL your family photographs that have any connection with your ancestry. You would certainly be wise in copying and preserving your antique photographs but let's not forget the humble snapshot.

One of the best, and least expensive, preservation techniques is to place them individually in their own sealable plastic bag. That way if there are any contaminates from the photo, it wont affect the others. If they are already in an album just get a larger plastic bag. Storage conditions need to be optimal as well, around 50% humidity, dark and cool. Placing them in a sturdy box will also provide protection from physical damage .

An important point to remember with genealogy is that you are NOT just doing it for yourself. You are preserving these memories for future generations. Pass family photographs onto your children and they, hopefully, will pass them on to theirs.That's quite a responsibility you have so always be diligent in the preservation of your memorabilia.

Family Photographs Tell A Story

And what a story they weave.
Photographs are often overlooked when compiling famiy histories. They can say so much about their subjects and actually add another dimension. It's one thing to be told that granny was pudgy and had a crooked nose, but quite another to actually see for yourself. There's are lot more to we humans than the shape of our proboscus. The style of hair and dress - fashionable or daggy? Does she have a kind smile? A moot point when it comes to antique photos!

Get as much background information as you can about your photos. The bane of all historians is the unidentified photograph. Please identify your family photographs as much as possible - name, date, place. Also the occasion on which the photo was taken. Birthday, christening or whatever. Look closely at them, clues will abound. Grab your magnifying glass, don your deer stalker hat and stagger the world with your powers of deduction. It may not be elementary though. It could in fact be an impossible task to identify the subject. In which case you may never know who the elderly gentleman is cleaning his pipe.

Final words

Be prepared to move on.

Genealogy is ALWAYS a work in progress.

To put it another way, you never finish!

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