Category: Identifying

Applying Facial Recognition to Civil War Photos

New website Civil War Photo Sleuth has big plans to recover lost names and stories of Civil War soldiers using facial recognition technology. Here's how.

Uncovering the Uniform, Part 3

As we continue to investigate this photo and the uniform worn in it, Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor heads to Worthpoing to gather more clues!

Identifying a Fur-Clad Family Member

Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor continues her three-part investigation on the family photos of one of our readers. This week's photo is full of great clues, including a staged winter background and fashion from the early 1900's.

Marital Mystery in an Old Photo

Identifying couples in heirloom family photos can be tricky. Photo Detective Maureen Taylor shares her tools and tricks for identification.

4 Steps to Solve Old Photo Mysteries When You Have But a Few Clues

Reader Barbara Rivers has no idea who's in this her unidentified old family photo. I'll outline four steps she (and you) can take to solve old-photo mysteries.

Don’t Forget the Women and Children in Old Photos

Last week, I examined the cataloging record and photo format clues for this stereograph picture, taken between 1860 and 1864, from the Library of Congress online photo collection. This week, let’s talk about the individuals shown. Who’s in the Photo? The Library of Congress caption states they’re members of the Wallack family of New […]

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How to ID Strange Faces in Six Kinds of Old Group Photos

Whether an old family photo has two or 20 people (or more), it's considered a group portrait. When you find one in your collection, it may generate a groan rather than a cheer. Solving those types of picture mysteries is a challenge and a some might say a curse. You...

SOLVED! American Flag Mystery: Old Glory in an Old Photo

Find out who's in this American flag photo update. Thanks to a reader, our Photo Detective uncovers more about the women pictured.

Searching for Family Photos with Google

I have an ancestor, James Wilson, who drives me crazy. I bet you have a few of those too! It took decades to piece together what I know about him. Despite all this research, I still can't find a photograph of him or anyone in his wife's family. It's doubtful...

World War I Uniforms for Little Boys

A few months ago I featured a picture of a little boy in a German style military uniform and discussed how boys could dress like the servicemen in their family. Paul Daraghy sent in three photos of his father wearing a miniature World War I uniform complete with belt and...

Thanksgiving Shopping in Old Photos

1919, Library of CongressThis little girl is delighted with her Thanksgiving turkey but I'm not sure how I would have felt about carrying home a turkey complete with feet and head. Shudder! A lot has changed in our Thanksgiving prep. The 1918 Fannie Farmer cookbook came with...

A Memorial Day Tribute

Today we equate Memorial Day with the start of summer, but it's important to recognize it as a somber occasion as well. A few years ago I wrote about the roots of the holiday in Decoration Day 1868.This stereograph from the Library of Congress shows the first Decoration...

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