Free Updates
Navigation
Categories
| November, 2009 (1) |
| October, 2009 (4) |
| September, 2009 (4) |
| August, 2009 (5) |
| July, 2009 (4) |
| June, 2009 (5) |
| May, 2009 (4) |
| April, 2009 (5) |
| March, 2009 (6) |
| February, 2009 (5) |
| January, 2009 (5) |
| December, 2008 (4) |
| November, 2008 (4) |
| October, 2008 (6) |
| September, 2008 (5) |
| August, 2008 (5) |
| July, 2008 (4) |
| June, 2008 (6) |
| May, 2008 (5) |
| April, 2008 (5) |
| March, 2008 (4) |
| February, 2008 (4) |
| January, 2008 (5) |
| December, 2007 (4) |
| November, 2007 (4) |
| October, 2007 (6) |
| September, 2007 (4) |
| August, 2007 (4) |
| July, 2007 (5) |
| June, 2007 (4) |
| May, 2007 (3) |
| April, 2007 (2) |
| March, 2007 (1) |
Search
Archives
| | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
by Maureen A. Taylor
More Links
|
 Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Scanning Photos: Convex Images
Posted by Maureen
An integral part of the FamilyTreeMagazine.com web site is the reader forum. Did you know there's one called Photo Detective? Anyone can post, all you have to do is register. Last week, someone posted a question that deserves a whole blog column. K. Pherson wrote
I have a photo of an ancestor in its original old oval wall frame, which has a convex (outwardly-rounded) glass over it. It's large (approximately 18 by 24 inches) and the photo itself is convex. I have a similar empty frame, and I'd like to copy another picture to put in this frame, but no photo lab in my area seems to know how to duplicate a photo so that it looks good on a rounded surface. The photo becomes distorted.
Click here to see an explanation of how these convex images, popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, were created, and what they look like.
This is actually a two-part response. I want to talk first about scanning those convex images, then offer advice on how to create a print to place in one of those frames.
Copying a Convex Image
If you have a convex image (glass or tin) and have tried to scan it, you know how difficult it is. If you can find a photo business in your area that has a 3D scanner, getting a copy will be easy. These specialty 3D scanners cost in excess of $2,000. They're cool devices—Jay Leno has one to photograph cars and they've been featured on the show "Mythbusters." A company called NextEngine manufactures them; its Web site is full of fascinating examples and a demo video.
For the rest of us, duplicating a convex image is a challenge. My usual method is to take photograph. Scanning such an image in sections and "stitching" them together using photo editing software might work, but I haven't tried it. If any reader has a successful way to duplicate a convex image, please comment on this article.
Removing a Picture from a Conves Frame
Be extremely cautious if you want to remove an image from one of these convex frames. These images are often stuck to the glass and trying to remove them will destroy the picture. If you're in doubt, consult a professional photo conservator.
Creating a Convex Effect
To create that curved effect for a flat image so it looks nice in his empty frame, K. Pherson doesn't need a photo lab. It's possible to do it using Adobe PhotoShop. I found a couple of online tutorials to help: The first is a step-by-step video by Luv2Help.com. ShapeShed also has written and video instructions.
If you'd like to create that effect but you don't own PhotoShop, try contacting a digital photo restorer in your area. I hope this helps!
preserving photos | unusual surfaces
Tuesday, July 07, 2009 6:27:33 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
|
|
Monday, June 08, 2009 Monday, January 05, 2009
Join in the Dialogue: Organizing Photos
Posted by Maureen
There were several comments to my last week's posting on scanning and organizing pictures. Miriam Robbin Midkiff, who writes a blog called AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors, also hosts Scanfest, a monthly online scanning session held the last Sunday of every month. She's invited all of you and your friends to attend. Miriam can send you instructions on how to join in on the chat session to keep life interesting while placing photos on a scanner. Learn more about Scanfest on her blog. Mark your calendar for the next Scanfest, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PCT on Jan. 25. If I can get my Windows Live Messenger to work, I'll be there. A reader pointed out that you can digitally tag pictures using the free program called Fototagger. I'm a huge fan. Try it and see why. Another person inquired about using adhesive labels on the backs of photos. I don't advocate using any adhesives on pictures. As a former archivist, I've seen the long-term damage. Instead, I'd suggest placing the photo in a non-PVC sleeve of a similar size and including a same-size sheet of acid- and lignin-free cardstock. You can put the label on that paper, rather than the back of the picture. I've purchased non-PVC sleeves from a number of vendors (run a Google search on archival supplies). Thank you, Linda! She wrote a long comment about ways to use the free photo-organizing software Picasa, and how she "files" her pictures on her computer. It's full of great tips. As always Kathryn, thank you for being a fan. Of course you can post a link to last week's photo-organizing post in the California Genealogical Society's e-newsletter. Can you include a link in the comment section of this posting to share the other tips in the newsletter? I actually took two weeks off this holiday season! Of course I did some photo- related activities. For readers who live in the Washington, DC, area, check out the exhibit of photographic jewelry at the National Portrait Gallery. It's called Tokens of Affection and Regard: Photographic Jewelry and Its Makers, and it's fantastic. There's also an exhibit on photographs of Abraham Lincoln and online exhibition links on the Web site.
photo-research tips | preserving photos
Monday, January 05, 2009 6:06:42 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Finally Organize Your Pictures
Posted by Maureen
Regular readers of this column know that I'm not fond of making resolutions for the New Year, but I might make an exception this year. Last January 1st, I set out to find family photographs to expand my personal archive. Now I'm faced with picture overload. Sound familiar? It doesn't matter if you have one small album or a closet full of pictures, the time to start organizing is now. 1. Retain the original order of the pictures. If you've received a box from Great Uncle Harry and one from Aunt Minnie, don't mix them together. You could unknowingly blend two different branches of the family and ruin your chances for identifying some unidentified images. 2. Instead scan all the pictures. It's inexpensive and quick. If you don't already own a scanner, purchase a dedicated scanner that can also scan negatives and slides. You can buy an Epson flatbed scanner for around a hundred dollars. 3. Download photo organizing software such as Google's Picasa. I've been using it for years and love it's features. Keyword your photos to make searching easier. Picasa actually searches your hard drive for images. Organizing your pictures with digital images enables you to sort pictures by donor, person's name or occasion. 4. Label each picture! Use a soft lead pencil to add names, dates and details to the back of paper based photos. For modern resin coated images, use a scrapbook pen such as a black Zig marker. These are available at art supply stores and scrapbook outlets. You can use your Picasa program to add labels to digital images. 5. Don't forget the digital images. Sure, Picasa will help you organize all your digital images, but remember to print out significant images. Backup your files on a regular basis using a portable hard drive so that your digital archive is safe if your hard drive malfunctions. This short article is just an overview of organizational tips. It'll get you started. Throughout this year, I'll feature other techniques for organizing and preserving your photos. Happy New Year!
preserving photos
Thursday, January 01, 2009 3:29:24 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Monday, November 03, 2008
What Does the Future Hold For Your Family Photographs?
Posted by Maureen
I saw a very sad sight yesterday. I attended an collectibles show and saw a collection of daguerreotypes for sale. The mournful moment came when I realized that every single one of these images was identified. As you probably know, daguerreotypes date from 1839 to the early 1860s. The majority of these images were from the 1850s. I really didn't want to leave them on the table, but at close to $1,000, the cost was too high for my budget. As a genealogist, you're aware that skills honed researching family back in time also can be used to track family forward. It's part of the whole orphan photo movement to reunite folks with their "lost" family pictures. I purchased a couple of identified cabinet cards at the show and will try to reconnect them with relatives. I'll post my progress on this blog. It broke my heart to see all those images sitting in that box. I see it all the time and it never gets any easier. The big question is: What's going to happen to your photos? Have you
identified someone in your family to take care of your archive? Before your pictures end up in a dumpster or split up at an antique show, start thinking about their future. Then write it down. Make sure your executor has a copy of the document so the collection you've cared for doesn't become someone's instant ancestors. In the words of one dealer: "I keep what I can sell and throw away the rest." This was in response to my request for matrimonial images. Yup! They weren't worth saving. If you've reconnected a photo with a long-lost relative, please add your story to the Comments section. Each one of those reunion tales is heartwarming. Can't wait to hear from you!
preserving photos
Monday, November 03, 2008 7:45:53 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Loopy Photo Labels
Posted by Maureen
A big thank you to Leanne M. Baraban! She bought this photo to share with me (and you). It's a great example of how good-intentioned labeling can go so very wrong. Below are all the identifications, and the woman who made them added a note: "I numbered these all so you would know who all of them were."  While it was a great idea to name each person for posterity, the numbers are written on the front of the photo in India ink. Here are the identifications: no.1 Is my feller
" 2 Nans feller
" 3 Papa
" 4 Nan
" 5 me
" 6 Mamma
" 7 Mrs. Ashcroft (a neighbor)
" 8 Miss Smith (the school teacher)
" 9 is Miss Smiths feller
" 10 Lucile
" 11 Pleasant
" 12 Mabel
That's all she wrote. I'm sure you've seen other examples of photos identified with arrows or x's, but if you really want future generations to be able to say who's who, follow these three steps. 1. Never write on the front. On the back is OK if you use a soft lead pencil for cardboard-mounted images, or a special photo-marking pen (such as a Zig marker) for 20th-century resin-coated snapshots. You can tag digital images using photo organizing or editing software.
2. Use the full name whenever possible. Wouldn't it be great to know who "Nan's feller" was? While this woman knew everyone's name, it's doubtful that identification lasted past her generation.
3. We'll probably never know why all these folks got together on a summer's day. If there's a special occasion associated with the image, include a short note.
If you're curious about when this picture was taken, look at the hats on the neighbor (7) and the school teacher (8). Those broad-brimmed, deep-crowned chapeaus were very common in the 1910 era. By the way, this is a postcard, and the design on the back first became available in late 1907.
1910s photos | photo postcards | preserving photos
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 2:26:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
|
|
Monday, June 09, 2008
Wicked Weather and Your Family Heirlooms (Photos included)
Posted by Maureen
It's that time of year when weather leads the news reports--tornados, floods and hurricanes. Also in the news are pictures and footage of folks clutching family photos they've rescued from disaster. There is a lot you can do to save your family heirlooms from the wild and wicked weather. I've written several weather related articles: When the Worst Happens covers tips to remember when salvaging photos from water damage. Planning for Disaster talks about the three steps in disaster preparedness--preparation, response and recovery. 10 Ways Weather Changed Your Family History appears in the May 2008 issue of Family Tree Magazine. A timeline of weather events and a list of resources appears on the Family Tree Magazine website. I'm a bit of a weather nut. I grew up in Rhode Island where everyone still talks about the Hurricane of 1938. It devasted the state and most of the area never recovered. A high school class in meteorology clinched my interest (and you thought I only cared about photos <smile>). My friends know not to raise the issue of global warming in my presence! Two of my favorite books on weather are: Mark Levine's F5: Devastation, Survival, and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the Twentieth Century (Miramax, $25.95) R.A. Scott's Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 (Back Bay Books, $14.95) I'd love to hear how you've rescued family heirlooms from destruction. Post to either the comment section of this blog or to the Family Tree Magazine Photo Detective Forum. Got a book to recommend? Post that as well.
preserving photos
Monday, June 09, 2008 3:12:32 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
|
|
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Polaroid Preservation
Posted by Diane
Two weeks ago I wrote about how Polaroid stopped manufacturing film. In the Comments section to that article, Nancy Owen asked, "Over the years, I've taken a lot of Polaroid pictures. Many of them are
not holding up. The edges of the paper on the back are coming unglued.
What can I do to preserve my photographs?" Ahh, Nancy, Polaroid pictures are a bit troublesome. If you've taken these instant pictures and haven't looked at them in a while, it's time to take a peek. These images have a tendency to fade, crack and become unglued. The best solution is to scan them, then fix the damage using photo editing software. Several people wrote to me privately saying how much they liked using their Polaroid cameras. According to an article in Sunday's Boston Globe, Fuji still makes instant film. You can see a selection of their products on the Fuji Web site. And yes, it works in Polaroid cameras!
photo news | preserving photos
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:44:53 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Friday, February 15, 2008
Fun and Simple Photo Editing
Posted by Maureen
I'm a fan of a relatively new website called Picnik.com. It may make you forget expensive photo editing programs even exist. Here's what to love. - It's online, Web-based software. All you do is access your pictures on your computer or use the ones you've uploaded to sites such as Flickr.com, Facebook.com, photobucket.com and webshots.com, and those in your Picasa Web albums. Pick a picture to edit and get started
- It's free. There's a $24.99 upgrade for additional features, but most of the regular editing tools are free. If you want more fonts or creative tools, I recommend signing up for the full version.
- Picnik's tools work with Macs, Windows and Linux operating systems.
- It's fun. I played with a couple of pictures to see what could be done. I added shapes, captions and used the editing tools to improve the look of an old photo.
- This Web-based program has a lot of power. You can sharpen blurry pictures, straighten crooked ones, correct redeye, fix exposure settings and a lot more. You can even resize pictures and select a format for saving (JPG, PNG, TIF, etc.).
- Finally, once you're done, you can share the images by e-mailing them to family and friends or posting them to a list of Web sites, such as Flickr.
You've got to try this to believe it. While it won't replace the sophisticated programs like Adobe Photoshop, it goes a long way to do more than the basics. I'd like you to sound off about your favorite photo editing program. For years I used Microsoft's Digital Image Pro, but now that's been discontinued. What do you use to "fix" your pictures? Click Comments and let me know. Next week I'll be back with more information on our Italian soldier.
preserving photos | Web sites
Friday, February 15, 2008 4:00:58 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Photo Cards Redux
Posted by Maureen
What type of holiday greeting do you send to friends and relatives? Four years ago I wrote Season's Greetings, a column about photo cards and shared an antique example from my collection. It's a beautiful New Year's card from a woman to her friends. As you can see, sending photo cards is nothing new. That one dates to the 1880s. I used to mail standard cards with a few words inside but since I wrote that piece I decided to join the millions that now design their own picture greeting. One of the photo editing programs I use lets me select snapshots and drop them into the layout. It's a cinch. I usually select a collage type display that allows me to pick several different images to tell our family story in photos and captions. I just never get around to writing a full letter! In addition to saving the cards I receive, I also keep a copy of the one I send out. It's a mini archive of holiday greetings. I'm not sure how many of you are checking this space during this busy time of year, but if you have a heritage photo card, send me a jpg of the image and I'll post it here next week. My email is mtaylor@taylorandstrong.com. In the meantime... Happy Holidays!
preserving photos
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 11:22:47 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
|
|
Monday, July 23, 2007
Repairing Damaged Photos
Posted by Maureen
In the Photo Detective Forum, a member of the Ellis family asked about her photo that was damaged from being stored in a damp garage. Family Tree Magazine managing editor Diane Haddad suggested using photo editing software and contacting a professional conservator. That's excellent advice. While I haven't seen the damaged picture, the chalky film on the surface is likely caused by mold and humidity. That's significant damage. The Ellis family might be able to enhance the picture using a photo editing program, but it really depends on the appearance of the photo and their skill with graphics software. Since this is the only known picture of a particular couple, it's worth investing in a consultation with a photographic conservator about saving the original photograph. They can find a conservator on the Web site of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works . Either way, the family also can have a copy of the photo created and enhanced. One option is to contact a photo restorer such as David Mishkin of Just Black and White for a consultation on photo-enhancement services using film photography. Mishkin gets amazing results with these non-digital methods.
preserving photos
Monday, July 23, 2007 3:42:17 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
|
|
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Humidity and Photos
Posted by Maureen
As I sit in my air-conditioned home office, it's hot and humid outside. The combination of these two weather Hs are bad for family photos. Resin-coated color images tend to stick together when it's humid. The H and H also creates the perfect environment for mold to grow on your other pictures. So here's a question I'd like to see you answer in the Family Tree Magazine Photo Detective Forum. "Where do you store your family photos?" Although the best place to keep photos is in a windowless closet in an area with stable temperature and humidity, the truth is, few of us live in a museum. So, what's a concerned genealogist to do? The solution is actually quite simple: Nesting boxes. Store your photos in acid- and lignin-free boxes. The center box containing your pictures sits within a larger box. Each layer creates a barrier between the outside fluctuations and your precious pictures. Keep yourself and your photos cool this summer!
preserving photos
Sunday, July 08, 2007 3:46:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
|
|
Monday, June 11, 2007
It's Confession Time: Developing Old Film
Posted by Maureen
Kelly posted a question to the Forum in February about developing old film.She found a camera with film in it from the 1960s and her camera shop sent it out for processing. It's confession time. This is your chance to sound-off in the Forum about film you've forgotten to develop. Not the snapshots you took at the wedding last summer, but your pictures several decades old. My Mom just gave me a small bag full of undeveloped movie film from my childhood! If you're a hoarder and can't bear to part with a roll of undeveloped film, don't despair. There is hope! Rocky Mountain Photo Labs specializes in processing old still and moving picture film. All films are batch processed which means you might have to wait months, like Kelly, to get your order back. Rocky Mountain Photo Labs can't guarantee the quality of images produced from the old rolls in your attic due to aging issues. You'll have to take a chance that the price and wait might be worth it. Who knows what family history photo treasures are on that roll? I'll bet you can't remember. :) My Mom can't either.
preserving photos
Monday, June 11, 2007 2:13:05 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
|
|
|