You spend hours searching the silent faces in your old family photos, trying to tease out some meaning: What are their names? Why did they pause to pose for the camera — and when was it, anyway? But how often have you wondered who was holding the camera? The identity of the photographer — be it a professional, family member or friend — could be the key to answering those who, what, when and where questions you've been asking. The strategies here can help you learn who snapped the photos of your kin, and what he or she has to say.

Historical snapshot

First, let's take a quick look back at how the photography trade has developed. Before the camera came along, time-consuming paintbrush and charcoal were the only ways to capture family — faces on paper. After the 1839 introduction of the daguerreotype — called a "mirror with a memory" because of the metal image's reflective surface — anyone could visit a photographer and leave with his likeness for a fraction of the cost of a painted portrait.