May 16 - Friday From The Collectors

THE FUTURE OF MEMORIES

By Denise Olson
Family Matters

This week a group of people from around the country came together to share loving memories of mothers past and present. No, it wasn't a family reunion but a blog carnival and most of the participants have never met face-to-face. Each individual either posted their photos and stories on their web/blog site or wrote them as an email and forwarded the message or link to our gracious hostess. The result was delightful.

This is just one example of the future of memories. There are many more.

Have you ever received a photo taken and sent from a mobile phone? Camera phones may not take the best photos, but they are usually within easy reach when something happens – a baby's first anything, a home run or a precious face covered with chocolate. It's always a treat when one of these photos shows up in our mailbox and sharing the moment far outweighs the quality of the image.

How do you carry your family photos today? Digital frames are popping up on desktops all over the building where I work. I keep my photos at Flickr and can pull them up from anywhere. I don't see many wallet-size photo albums anymore. They are being replaced with smart phones and thumb drives.

Paper isn't dead, but it sure has changed. Now there's any number of photo-sharing sites and photo organizer applications that also provide the tools and services to collect and embellish your photos, add captions and have them printed and bound into beautiful picture books.

Speaking of creations, my favorite application lets me create a photo postcard which I can then email – or even post on the Web. It's a simple program, but what makes each card special isn't the program's features, but the photo. This photo isn't the best quality, but it's one of only a few taken at this event so it's priceless to all involved.


I've created a mini-tradition of posting birthday and anniversary cards on Moultrie Creek as reminders to all the family. It only takes a minute (literally) to create these little cards, but finding the perfect photo for the event – and narrowing it down to only one – can be a challenge.

Another passion falls into the scrapbook category. I've tried most of the scrapbooking applications but have found presentation graphics software (Microsoft's PowerPoint, Apple's Keynote or OpenOffice.org's Impress) offers the most versatility. Yes, the learning curve is a bit steeper, but I'm more interested in combining story text with photos and using family ephemera rather than canned embellishments. I also have the flexibility to format the slides to fit the screen or paper and output the result to a PDF document, HTML or even a Flash movie like HouseStory.

HouseStory - Upload a doc

Read this doc on Scribd: HouseStory

If you're thinking this is an expensive choice, you're wrong. OpenOffice.org's Impress is open source and will only cost you a little effort to learn it.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

How many PDF or HTML photo books can you put on one thumb drive? And, with HTML you can include video and sound. Every computer has a web browser and PDF reader these days. Think how irritating you can be at family events when there's a computer handy!

Digitize family heirlooms and create books – digital and print – so other family members can have copies of these treasures while the originals are safely protected. Many publishing services can help make this happen like Lulu did for Miss Kate's Autograph Album.

Do you just dump photos into your digital frame? Why not build a slide show that tells a story, convert it to images and load them on your frame? What a great ice-breaker something like that would be at a family reunion!

Take advantage of online services like Footnote to upload your family treasures. Footnote will archive your documents and provide Story Pages so you can include the stories associated with them. You can even connect your documents to historical documents within the Footnote system – and make it all available to your invited family and friends regardless of their membership status.

Software like iMovie and Windows Movie Maker combined with digital cameras that take video as well as still photos make it easy to add video clips, still shots and titles to create productions of special family traditions like our Holiday Regattas . These can be posted on family web sites or YouTube [I'm related to the guy with the Mad Dog] or distributed via CD and even DVD for viewing on your television.

MAKING LEMONADE

All of these options are great when you start with quality originals. What happens when the original isn't in the best of shape. My first recommendation is to become good friends with George Geder and let him work his magic on them. My next suggestion is to make lemonade from those lemons. Get the best scan you can make and turn it into an object d'art. Experiment with your photo editing software. Just about every photo editor includes some kind of posterize effect which can turn a low resolution image into an interesting graphic. Try the pencil sketch feature/recipe (here's a good one from Scrappers Guide to create a gorgeous portrait.

One thing that has worked very well for me is to create a sepia version of my image (a one-step process with most photo editors) and print it on iron-on transfer paper. Now, iron it onto a canvas board. The canvas is rough enough that your image will look like it's supposed to be grainy. This example is the best of the three prints made from this photo – and the least interesting. Issues where the transfer lifted off the canvas in places gave the other images a grunge look that was very cool. Naturally, those are now in the possession of my sisters.


Like the snapshots of my childhood, the more copies that are shared with others, the better the chances they will survive for decades – maybe even centuries. Protect your original treasures, but create digital copies and share them with your family members. While they may find your fascination with dead relatives a bit strange, present a good story and bring it to life with photos and other ephemera and they will treasure the effort – and maybe even pass it on.

The future of memories looks quite rosy to me.

Resources:

Image Editors

Photoshop Elements - $90 -Mac/$100 – Win
Paint Shop Pro - $80/Win
Pixelmator - $59/Mac
Acorn $50/Mac
Picasa - free/Win & Lin
Picnik – free & $25/year/Win, Mac & Lin

Scrapbooking and Presentation Applications:

PowerPoint (MS Office Home) - $150/Win & Mac
Keynote (iWork) - $79/Mac
OpenOffice.org – no cost/Win, Mac & Lin
Memory Mixer Lite - $35/Win & Mac
Postcard - $5/Mac – works with iPhoto

Sources:

Photographs:

Anniversary. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by Denise Olson [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], St. Augustine, Florida, United States. 2008.

Lemonade. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by Denise Olson [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], St. Augustine, Florida, United States. 2008.

Article and Photographs
Copyright © Denise Olson

A Photographic Survey - Wart Or History?

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things."

Thursday, on Shades Of The Departed, will be dedicated to many things,
and nothing in particular.

Many Things Thursday

In last week's edition of Many Things Thursday, I discussed a project commenced by the Dundee Photographic Society to carry out a comprehensive photographic survey of that Scottish city. The purpose was to illustrate life in the city in 1903, a permanent record for generations to come. I challenged my readers to do a photographic survey of where they live/lived for posterity.

I received some very interesting and enthusiastic comments and emails, along with some very pertinent questions. In today's Many Things Thursday, I'd like to explore some of those questions and remarks.

HISTORY KNOWS NO WARTS

Terry Thornton of Hill Country wrote:

MAVEN, I do like this idea! Are you proposing a look at your community through "rose-colored" glasses or, are you going to show warts and all?

I view my role in the survey as that of local historian. It isn't my place to decide what is documented by whether or not I find it pleasing, but rather whether or not it fits the criteria I have established for my survey. Here is a perfect example of what some people might consider a wart, but is an integral part of my community's daily civic life (my survey criteria). It sits in town on the main road and is a reminder of our town's origin.

I also believe it has historical significance. The town of Preston was built around the mill. Although it has definitely gone to the grass, or here in Washington, the blackberries; it is part of the town's history.

The Familiar Sign Outside The Old
Preston Mill Buildings

Gone To The Grass

Rusting and Rotting

I suspect the warts Terry has questioned have more to do with a line of Edsels in the backyard (my father's favorite collection), or an old refrigerator on the front porch than they have to do with my rotting mill. So in each survey you will have to ask yourself, "Does it meet the survey criteria?" If it does, then wart status is left to history.

THEN AND NOW

Donna of What's Past Is Prologue remarked:

I love looking at "then - now" photos (as you could tell in my recent post on the Bavarian town. But if no one takes a "now" photo it can never become a "then" photo in the future!

Donna could not be more correct and I will give you two perfect examples of why a Photographic Survey is so important to posterity and future generations.

THE SAVE

The Church In Index, Montana
As It Was In 1918

The Church In Index, Montana
2005

I was fortunate to be able to take the "Now" photograph just weeks before the Church was torn down. My mother-in-law was born in Index, Montana, and her father was the minister in this Church. We were given an old board from the Church and have framed a piece of the board with the two photographs for each of our children.

We have a "then" and "now" photograph for posterity and our family history. Without the 1918 photograph there would be no impact for the 2005 photograph. Take a "today" photograph "today."

THE SACRIFICE

The One That Got Away

Our New Soccer Park

I have no photograph of the old red Mill building that occupied this space before it was torn down to make way for the new soccer park. That is a terrible shame. I drove past it every day for the last sixteen-years and was so short sighted; I failed to document something so familiar.

Perhaps being so familiar is the problem; I just expected it to always be there. But, what's familiar today may be gone tomorrow, that's why a Photographic Survey is so important. Take a "today" photograph "today," before it's gone "tomorrow."

THE LEGALITIES

Terry Thornton of Hill Country asked another very pertinent question:

I've wished for the courage to undertake such a photographic record of some of the rural roads in the Hill Country --- but haven't had the courage to start photographing houses and structures. What do you know about such? Do you think privately owned buildings/houses can be photographed and published (photos taken only from the public road-ways, of course) without a release from the owners?

WHAT CAN YOU PHOTOGRAPH?

Here are some private homes in Preston that are a part of my Photographic Survey. The photographs were taken from public roads and streets.

Some Old Mill Houses
Along The Raging River

The Historic Lovegren
House

Note: I am not a licensed attorney, this is not legal advice. If you have a specific question about taking a photograph, please consult an attorney.

There are two distinct issues here; taking photographs (trespass - criminal) and publishing photographs (civil - invasion of privacy, false light).

For the most part, if you can see it, you can photograph it. If you're on public property you can photograph anything you like, including private property. (There are some exceptions - sensitive government buildings.) Don't trespass to get a photograph, it isn't worth it. Don't use a telephoto lens to photograph someone inside their home (you have an expectation of privacy in your own home).

Once you have the photograph can you publish that photograph? Yes, in most cases. You can lose an invasion of privacy lawsuit if your photographs reveal private facts about a person that are offensive when the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. A reasonable expectation of privacy is a legal term with a legal meaning.

This is a very brief overview of an important legal matter, so I will direct you to some in depth information regarding these two issues.

“Legal Rights of Photographers” (151K PDF) by Andrew Kantor who researched this for an article in USA Today.

Bert P. Krages, an attorney in Portland, Ore., and author of the Legal Handbook for Photographers, has a short but excellent PDF document called The Photographer's Right.

From The Missouri Bar Association is the Journalists' Right Of Privacy Primer, by Mark Sableman.

COMMON SENSE

Use common sense when taking photographs. Here in Washington we have seen people questioned for taking photographs of our Ferry System. Parents may become uncomfortable if you are taking photographs of children in playgrounds. While legal, you need to be sensitive to these concerns. Hope to see your Photographic Survey soon!

Neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography.

Photographs:

Index Church. Photograph. ca. 1918. Digital image. Privately held by the footnoteMaven, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Preston, Washington. 2005

Index Church. Photograph. 2005. Digital image. Privately held by the footnoteMaven, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Preston, Washington. 2005

Preston Photographs. Photograph. 2008. Digital image. Privately held by the footnoteMaven, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Preston, Washington. 2008

Web Wandering Wednesday

Photography is a circus kind of business, destined to a short life,
and unfit for a gentleman to engage in.

~ Unknown - 1862 ~

One-hundred and forty-six years later photography and photographers (men and women) are still going strong. Today there are more amateur photographers then at any other time in history. Documenting our photographs has become more critical than ever. As more photographs are taken by amateurs (those without a commercial studio), dating a photograph through its photographer becomes impossible.

In the Photo Of The Week columns here on Shades, I have stressed the importance of researching the commercial studio of a formal studio portrait in ascertaining the date of that photograph. I believe it is one of the most important and reliable aspects of dating a photograph. Many authorities will stress the clothing worn by the subject, but clothing is the least reliable means of dating photographs.

I have discussed my ongoing efforts to create a database of photographers for my own state of Washington. The University of Washington has created a database of approximately 850 photographers who operated in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska during the period from about the 1870s to 1935. Their database provides information regarding the photographers name and the city, state and year that the photographer had an established business. In some cases, it includes the studio address. Most of the information in this database was extracted from city directories and vertical files held in Special Collections. I am extremely grateful for the tremendous amount of work that went into this database of photographers by the University staff. Even with this effort, the University has missed a few photographers.

It would be an impossible task for me to document all of the past photographers in the entire United States, which is why I have limited my research to the state of Washington. Were we each to take even a small section of our own states, we could accomplish so much. I urge all those having old family photographs or photographic collections to begin documenting the photographers and studios. It would be advantageous to be consistent in the documentation, so I am including the categories I have used to create my database.

Here is an example of the entry for the database I am compiling.

PHOTOGRAPHER OR STUDIO
Steelhead, Albert

CITY/STATE
Woodbury County, IA.

DATE
1900-????

CITY/STATE
Chewelah, Wa.

DATE
1905-06
1909-10
1915-16
1913-14

STUDIO ADDRESS
Unknown

BIOGRAPICAL INFORMATION
Born in Sweden, December 1858. Immigrated to the United States in 1882. Married 1880, Adora Steelhead. Adora (unknown) Steelhead (b. Apr. 1867, Missouri); widow 1920 census Pasadna, CA; occupation lacemaker. Two children: Son - Francis A. (b. June 1892, Illinois). Son - Ralph V. (b. Jul 1895, Iowa) occupation, clergyman Pasadena, CA 1920.

Living Smithland, Iowa, 1900, with his wife Adora and two sons, Francis A. and Ralph V. He is a photographer who owns his own business.

Living Chewelah, Washington 1910, without his wife and children. PNPD lists him as a photographer who owns his own business 1905 - 1914.

Adora Steelhead living Los Angeles, California 1920, as a widow.

PHOTOGRAPHER'S IMPRINT

SOURCE

1900 U.S. census, Woodbury County, Iowa, population schedule, Smithland, p. 122, dwelling 71, family 71, Albert Steelhead (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 1 December 2007); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 466.

1910 U.S. census, Stevens County, Washington, population schedule, Chewelah PCT, p. 227, dwelling 18 , family 17, Albert Steelhead (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 1 December 2007); citing NARA microfilm publication T1672, roll 227.

1920 U.S. census, Los Angeles County, California, population schedule, Los Angeles, p. 125, dwelling 501 , family 521, Adora Steelhead (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 1 December 2007); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 106.

1920 U.S. census, Los Angeles County, California, population schedule, Altadena, Pasadena, p. 29, dwelling 119 , family 124, Ralph V. Steelhead (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 1 December 2007); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 117.

Mautz, Carl. Biographies of Western Photographers. Nevada City, California: Carl Mautz Publishing, 1997.

"Pacific Northwest Photographers Database." Database. University of Washington Special Collections. http://db.lib.washington.edu/pnwphotographers/ : 2007.

Imprint. A. Steelhead, Artist. Photograph (Cabinet Card). ca. 1905-1914. Digital Image. Privately held by the fo0tnoteMaven [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Preston, Washington.2007

NOTES

Albert Steelhead died sometime between the 1910 and 1920 census.

If you create a database for your photographs, state, or section of a state, please post a link to that information in the comments section of this article and I will compile a listing of all databases.

As I wander the web, I will collect all such existing databases world wide. If you know of an existing database or website, please include the information in the comments section of this article and I will include them in the list.

I have found an excellent database of photographers maintained by the Auckland City Libraries, Auckland, New Zealand, which I will include. This is an index to photographers who have worked in New Zealand from the 1840s to the present day. The sources they use include advertisements, newspapers, electoral rolls, published articles, and trade directories. Their index is very similar to mine, however, I think it would be enhanced by including the advertisements and photographers' imprints.

Here is an example of what is found in the database:

Name

Campbell, John Logan

Sex

Male

Monograms

JLC

Source

Cyclopedia of New Zealand (1902), ii.252; R C J Stone, "The Father and His Gift: John Logan Campbell's later years" (1987), p243.

Remarks

John Logan Campbell was a founder member of the Auckland Camera Club in 1885, and patron of the revived club in 1895/1901. The British Journal Photographic Almanac lists him as president of the Auckland Photographic Club 1900-01, patron 1902, and president of the Auckland Camera Club 1903. He was a keen amateur photographer with his own darkroom., and several of his photographs of the Hauraki Gulf taken from his house "Kilbryde" were reproduced as postcards with the interlinked initials of his name forming the identifying monogram. He produced a portrait of himself as a postcard which he circulated as a birthday card (info: Rendell MacIntosh). A photograph of the Southern Cross newspaper office in the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, ii.267, is credited to him.

I hope we can all work together to make dating our family photographs and collections easier through the use of these databases.

Twice Told Tuesday - Were Abnormally Vain

Twice Told Tuesday features a photography related article reprinted from my
collection of old photography books, magazines, and newspapers.

WERE ABNORMALLY VAIN
Gutekunst, the Veteran Photographer,
Tells Some Amusing Stories
The North American, (Philadelphia, PA)
Wednesday, May 24, 1899; pg. 3; col B

“We hear a great deal about the vanity of women,” said F. Gutekunst, the veteran photographer to a North American reporter yesterday, “but an experience of many years with prominent members of both sexes has lead me to the firm belief that men possess quite as much if not more vanity than the daughters of Eve. And the vanity of men oftentimes expresses itself in such a queer way that it is really freakish.

“Can I recall any instances of such freakish displays of vanity? Why, many of them. Once there sat for me a lawyer, so eminent that he was a prominent candidate for a position upon the bench of the Supreme Court. He was undoubtedly a very able man, yet his vanity was so great, or so small, as you may look at it, that while I was taking his photograph he insisted on looking into a hand mirror, so that he would be sure to have the expression of his lips just right.”

“Was he elected?”

“No; but I don’t know that his vanity kept him from the bench.”

“Another remarkable case of vanity was that of one of the most prominent surgeons in this city. He brought along a barber, and seemed to attach as much importance to the work of the ‘tonsorial artist’ as to my own humble endeavors. It was so amusing that I couldn’t keep my face straight. Even as I was trying to get him focused he had the barber posing him, arranging a curl or giving his mustache one more twist.”

“Who is this?” asked the reporter, whose attention was attracted to a large photograph of a very serious-looking man.

“That is the great painter, Benjamin Constant, to whom George W. Childs and A.J. Drexel each paid $4000 for a portrait of himself. Even Constant, who, I imagine has seen even more of human vanity than I have, is not entirely without vanity himself."

“When he sat for me he posed to suit himself. Instead of letting the light shine full on him and away from the camera, he changed places with the camera. While the picture is good it is marred by heavy shadows, as the great man admitted, which would not have been the case had he not tried to be so original."

“Yes; I could fill a volume of reminiscences about prominent people that might be rather interesting; but, you know, photographers have their “professional secrets.’ just as lawyers and physicians do.”

Note: See discussion of F. Gutekunst in Photo of The Week - May 12 -.

Source:

Unknown. "Were Abnormally Vain." The North American, 24 May 1899. Online archives. (http://infotrac.galegroup.com/) : 2008.

May 16 - And The Guest Author Is . . .

WANT TO DO SOMETHING REALLY CREATIVE
WITH YOUR OLD PHOTOGRAPHS?

Then join Shades for the May 16 Edition of Friday From The Collectors when Denise Olson of Family Matters discusses a creative process for turning old photographs into art.

Denise, whose Family Matters blog was named one of Family Tree Magazine's 101 Best Websites for 2007, offers technology and research support to family historians. She also writes about her personal family history and traditions sprinkled with lots of local color in the popular Moultrie Creek blog. Our Digital Diva, Denise is one of my personal favorites!

A native Floridian, Denise has family ties from Texas to Virginia. When she enlisted in the Air Force she got her first taste of computer technology. An assignment as a technical instructor sent her on a path of teaching and technical support that has adapted to many technology changes over the years - from mainframe computers to word processors to personal computers, from text-only displays to highly graphical ones.

Today Denise serves as a civilian employee for the National Guard managing the organization’s web sites.

Join Shades Friday 16 May for Denise's article in Friday From The Collectors. I'm really looking forward to what Denise has in store for us. See you then!

1st Edition Smile For The Camera - The Carnival's In Town

Welcome to the 1st Edition of Smile For The Camera - A Carnival of Images, Mothers' Day, 11 May 2008.

The topic for the 1st Edition is:


We have all given it, or experienced it - Mother Love - Love of Mother. In this inaugural edition of Smile For The Camera we show it, through those treasured photographs. So take a seat, grab a latte, and a Crispy Creme (everyone except the soon to be unfat), and enjoy the carnival of images that is the 1st Edition of Smile For The Camera.

~***~

First up, let me introduce you to one of my favorite non-GeneaBloggers, Patti Digh of 37 Days. Patti shares an article in which every mother will recognize herself. And if you're not a mother, you will undoubtedly recognize the love a mother once lavished on you. Eat raw tarantulas in hot sauce for someone is filled with Mother Love and some beautiful photographs.

~***~

Janice Brown our favorite humorist shares a touching photograph of her mother Mary who once remarked that, "having two in diapers was a challenge" in Mare, Smile For The Camera! posted at Cow Hampshire. Now combine two in diapers with the knowledge of more on the way and you have a glimpse of Mare's love captured in a photograph.

~***~

Fellow Pacific Northwest GeneaBlogger Sue Edminster combines a haunting portrait of her ancestor with a lovely Scottish children's song in Jeannie Arbuckle. Sue is the author of the family history blog Echo Hill Ancestors Weblog. The depiction of Sue on the left comes from one of her many posted advertisements, the one about what to do when you become a shadow of your former self.

~***~

L.H. Crawley shares the serious business of life in her photograph and article titled On The Porch, A Long Way From Home posted at The Virtual Dime Museum. While there are no smiles in the image, our smile comes from Laura's reverence for their lives and the absolutely wonderful way with words that has become the mainstay of this blog. The photograph is very touching, for if you look closely you will see that Laura's great grandfather has put his arm around his mother. Love of Mother captured in time.

~***~

Jasia our "Queen of the COG" has created a beautiful scrapbook tribute to her Mother in A Mother's Love is Measured in Many Ways posted at Creative Gene. Her Mother was a contradiction balanced between the tender, kind, and loving caregiver and the woman who was uncomfortable with signs of affection and the words "I love you." Jasia shares a story of both Love of Mother and Mother Love complete with a beautiful scrapbook page.

~***~

Oh Thomas, what a poignant poem you have written to accompany the photograph of you and your Mother in That Month of Three posted at Destination: Austin Family. Nothing I say can touch the depth of emotion Thomas has shared with us in his poem. This is the type of tribute envisioned when Mothers' Day was proclaimed in 1914.

~***~

Jewelgirl presents SMILE FOR THE CAMERA # 1 posted at Searching For Family Branches. The perfect photograph for that perfect love, Mother's adoring love. Thank you Jewelgirl, you have captured the essence of Smile For The Camera.

~***~

Randy Seaver's photograph not only qualifies for this 1st Edition, but is absolutely adorable to boot. You will certainly recognize Randy musing in Mom and Me - I Smile for the Camera posted at Genea-Musings. His proud Mother makes for a perfect image of Mother Love.

~***~

Becky Wiseman treats us to several photographs of family celebration in She did it with Love posted at kinexxions. A very young new Mother cradles her first born with love in her eyes, a love that never gets old, as Becky's photographs demonstrate.

~***~

Donna Pointkouski features a pictorial view of her maternal ancestry in A Mother's Love posted at What's Past is Prologue. Donna is fortunate to have several photographs of the women in her family in the arms of their Mothers. This is a very attractive group of women whose love is evident in each and every photograph.

~***~

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective presents Honor Your Mothers on Sunday: Label Your Photographs at The Photo Detective. Maureen introduces us to her maternal grandmother, Nana, and asks us to honor the women of our family trees by labeling those photographs so they won't be forgotten.

~***~

Denise Olson shares The story behind the logo posted at Family Matters. It is an intriguing article about the picture that is the familiar masthead of Denise's blog. Meet the Mother and daughter in full photograph with all the details of Love of Mother and Mother Love.

~***~

Margaretann posts a beautiful photograph that shows the pride and love of a new Mother in Mother's Love for Her Three Girls posted at GeneaDiva's History, Genealogy and "Stuff". The joy captured in this photograph is infectious.

~***~

Terry Thornton at Hill Country of Monroe County Mississippi shares a wonderful photograph of a camera in the hands of a woman and a woman in the hands of a camera in his article A Camera And No Smile. That woman was his Mother and our resident word-smith has given us one of his vintage southern Thornton articles.

~***~

Lisa posts a beautiful pictorial tribute and story for Magdalena in 100 Years in America: Remembering Mother Magdalena: 1860-1957 at 100 Years in America. A sad story of Love of Mother and Mother Love separated by seas and time never to be joined again.

~***~

A warm day, a trip to the park, a new baby, and a mother who would much rather stare lovingly at Steve than at the camera can be found at Steve Danko's A Mother's Love posted at Steve's Genealogy Blog. Great photograph!

~***~

Elizabeth O'Neal shows us in one photograph what many of us have come to know - that connection to our Mothers we experience when we become a Mother in How Much Your Mother Loves You posted at Little Bytes of Life. As the photograph shows Elizabeth, she loves you that much!

~***~

George Geder shares a photograph of his first precious days of life and the woman who most obviously adored him in I Smile For The Camera posted at George Geder. You'll notice that George was always photogenic.

~***~

Ken, this photograph immediately created that mental image no words could, "mom could always make it better." Ken Spangler has captured the essence of a Mother's Love and Love of Mother in this photograph featured in A Mother's Love? posted at Beyond Fiction. So glad you are here from the beginning!

~***~

Miriam Robbins Midkiff presents Images of Mother Love posted at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. The fact that Mother love doesn't end when a child becomes an adult is the most compelling photograph in this post. A Mother is a Mother forever and we are forever their children. Loved the photographs, Miriam!

~***~

A. Lee presents The Artist’s Mother posted at eArtFair.com. Honoring motherhood, this article depicts how world famous artists have chosen to depict their mothers as well as motherhood. A key feature is David Hockney's work using photo collage.

~***~

And rounding out this 1st Edition of the Carnival is my Four Generations Held In Their Mother's Arms in The Hand That Rocks The Cradle posted at footnoteMaven. From my Great Grandmother to my daughter, we're all here to Smile For The Camera.

Thank You All!

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this inaugural edition. You have certainly made it a success. Smile was always meant to be a celebration of the images we hold most dear, and looking through your posts you have certainly embraced that celebration. From the impact of a single silent photograph, to a poignant poem, message, article, or scrapbook page accompanying your photographs, you have demonstrated what we all know in our hearts - Mother Love.

Now The Call For Submissions!
2ND EDITION
Smile For The Camera ~ A Carnival of Images

The 2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera takes its word prompts from the romance and weddings of the month of June. So, show us your belles and beaus. Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that shows a memorable wedding, courting/dating, or a photograph depicting young/old love.


Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight 10 June, 2008.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

There are two options:

1. Send an email to the host, footnoteMaven. Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, and the name of your blog. Put 'Smile For The Camera' clearly in the title of your email!

2. Use the handy submission form provided by Blog Carnival, or select the Bumper Sticker in the upper right hand corner.

See you at the Carnival!

May 9 - Friday From The Collectors

WHY DIGITAL PHOTO RESTORATION IS IMPORTANT

By George Geder
Genealogy-Photography-Restoration

I've been into the visual arts since 1969 when I was the first one at my university to lug around the then new Ampex reel-to-reel video portapak. Oh, I wish I had those tapes; each one was an avant-garde masterpiece, or so I vaguely recall. I wish I kept copies of all the tapes I subsequently produced in a career of television, industrial, education and freelance video work. But I wasn't thinking about archiving and preservation in those good old analog days.

In 1977, I was one of millions who watched Alex Haley's television series 'Roots'. That same year my father, William Emmett Geder, died. In his possessions was a deteriorating photo album of tin types, postcards and photographs of.... my Ancestors. He had hidden this album, I imagine, from Mom, Pearle Hancock Geder, who was very quick to throw away things that, in her opinion were not of value, during spring cleaning. I became seriously interested in genealogy and with these mostly unlabeled images I set out on the journey.

I have to tell you that I really didn't ask my folks about our ancestry while they were alive. I recall, for an elementary school project, that I asked Mom where she was born. She said Williston, South Carolina - and that was it. Now, with both parents and all grandparents gone, learning about my ancestors was going to be a very formidable task.

For this conversation, I want to focus on this album of pictures because it has led me into a new passion in genealogy and, more recently, a career in photo restoration. To begin, some of the postcards had the names of the photographers and locations of the studios where the pictures were taken. I would do a census search and group folks according to locations, ages and gender with what I found.


I discovered that the Geders were in Towanda, Bradford County, Pennsylvania and Waverly, Tioga County, New York after the Civil War before coming to Binghamton, Broome County, New York - where I was born. I contacted and subsequently visited the Bradford County Historical Society. They were able to provide me with some documents that substantiated the census records and also give me some additional photos. Happy dance; I'm in genealogical heaven.


These photos of Bessie and Emma Geder in Towanda circa 1895 were provided by the BCHS.

When you don't have any oral history to go on, like me, you rely on any information you can get. You then take measures to insure that your descendants have sufficient information to ascertain their lineage. If you have images of their ancestors, great! What if those images are not in the best of conditions and you have many relatives - and descendants - who want to see and have a picture. Are you going to pass around that tin-type? I don't think so. You can make zerox copies of that scratched, faded, damaged photo - running the risk of further damaging that one-of-a-kind image of your ancestor. How long do you think that zerox is going to last? You can do better by using today's digital technology. However, you need to take certain precautions.

Thanks to Photoshop, scanners and digital cameras, you can now do repair work on your precious images. However, this takes commitment, patience and skill.



Here you see me using white lint free gloves to handle an obviously damaged tin-type. Oils from your skin and repeated handling can further damage your photographs. You've been warned.

Now, siblings Arthur, Fred, Emmett (my grandfather) and Isabelle have another chance at being viewed by their descendants. I can make digital disks and inkjet photo copies to distribute.

You want to secure and archive the originals. If you keep them, you want to make note of these family heirlooms in you last will and testament! Alternatively, that one-of-a-kind precious photo can be offered to a museum or historical society provided that they will take care of it before it deteriorates into oblivion. If you don't want to give the originals to an archival house or find a good home for them on Ebay, then put them in a fire-proof box in your home or a safe deposit bin at your bank.

Digital restoration is important because your family legacy and by extension the national and world history lies in the balance. You may think that's hyperbole, but if you consider that the images in your shoebox may contain clues to status, relative health, and community relationships, then you can get a feel for what it will mean to the self-esteem for those that come after you.



I was told by my elementary and high school teachers that I was inferior; negro should never be capitalized because it does not describe a country from which people come from; and that my legacy springs from slavery and abject poverty and governmental dependency. Not true! The proof is in the pictures. That is why digital restoration - for me and all cultures - is important. It is a tool, in the absence of oral history or in the presense of dishonestly written history, that can help set the record straight!

Case in point. I didn't know that my 2nd great grandfather, John Stevenson, was a soldier (I like to call him a freedom fighter) in the Civil War. I wished that my father had told me about him. I wished that I had asked. But here's a picture of Dad sitting on his lap!

I didn't know the identity of this man (it could have been my great grandfather) until Angelo Scarlotta, a Civil War collector, and the PBS program 'History Detectives' came along in 2007. A post Civil War veterans' portrait and some forensic photography gave me his name and an important chapter in my family's history.




If I knew this when I was in grade school….

I have a 10 year old 1st cousin-twice removed in Rochester, New York who beamed with pride to her class about her 4th great grandfather she saw on TV. That's good enough for me.

So, what is my recipe?

• Consult a professional on restoring your precious photographs


• Select the pictures that have the most historical significance


• Make High Quality digital copies


• Choose repositories wisely


• Distribute digital copies among responsible family members


• Discuss the images with family members - learn and tell the stories

Enough..., look in those shoeboxes of images that hold information to your heritage. Find your past, find your voice, find your self. It's there. I believe in this. I believe in the power of the image. People are trying to tell us something in those faded pictures. They may have thought that taking a photo was a novelty - 'look at me' - or they may have thought - 'This is my chance to show my descendants that I existed'. Often, it was their only shot. Let them live on.

I can't bring back those old videotapes, but I can make sure that the shoeboxes and albums of pictures of my ancestors will be around for many years to come.

Sources:

Photographs

Imprints. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Besse Geder. Photograph ca 1895. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Emma Geder. Photograph ca 1895. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

George Geder. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Geder Family. Photograph (Tin-type). Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Geder Family. Photograph (Restoration) 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Unidentified Geder Female. Photograph (Tin-type). Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Unidentified Geder Female. Photograph (Restoration) 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

John R. Jeter. Photograph (Tin-type). Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

John R. Jeter. Photograph (Restoration) 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Stevenson Family. Photograph. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

GAR Photograph. Photograph. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

GAR Inset - Stevenson. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Stevenson Family Inset. Photograph 2008. Digital image. Privately held by George Geder [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], New Mexico, United States. 2008.

Article and Photographs
Copyright © George Geder