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Monday, March 28, 2011

Photos - Find Them and Share Them

One of the best ways to lure close or distant family members into your genealogy research is to pull out the photos you have collected.

As folks go through your photos it brings back their memories of family events, the relatives in the pictures and possibly similar photos they may have and forgotten. Old pictures are the easiest way to break the ice, get people talking and identify new resources.

Find Them

It is never too soon or too late to start gathering family photos. Start with your own family. I was lucky to have an uncle who took pictures at all family events. The photos of me and my cousins seated in front of the Christmas tree are invaluable.


Talk to your aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents to see what pictures they may have stashed away in closests. When corresponding with relatives (close and distant) I always ask if they have photos to share. The majority of people have sent photos of their family and sometimes photos they cannot identify.

Share Them


Once the pictures are collected and scanned you can share them. There are numerous sites on the Internet that you can share/post pictures. I use Google Photos (Picasa Web Albums) to share my pictures with friends and family.


You might also consider creating a 'scrapbook' to take to family events. I print pictures on regular 8x10 paper and put them in a 3-ring notebook I can take anywhere. This allows me and others to make notes on the back of the pictures for later reference.

Summer is just a few months away so be prepared for those family picnics, reunions and gatherings. They say "a picture is worth a thousand words', if that is true, just think of the stories you may uncover.

Take Care,
Pattie
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