Identifying Unknown Faces in Old Photos
Over the years, a lot of you have sent me emails talking about a "picture moment." Genealogists are taught to look at census records, city directories and vital records, but if you read this column then you know that a photo can trigger a genealogical response. Gazing at an...
Read MorePhoto Contest Submissions
A big thank you to everyone that submitted photos to our contest. The deadline has now passed and I'm gradually working my way through all the images to pick the winning image. The winner will receive a copy of my book, The Family Photo Detective, and the image...
Read MoreWhat I Saw at the National Genealogical Society Conference
Thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth at the National Genealogical Society Conference last week! I looked at a lot of photos and many people promised to send in submissions for this column. Larae Schraeder showed me two photos. Here's one of them (I'm still working on the...
Read MoreStorytelling Pictures
You never know what you're going to find in a family photo collection. If you have an odd picture, please send it along. You can email it to me.Dario X. Musso sent me a lovely family photo:Seated on the right side is Nikita Radionov. Dario's grandmother is...
Read MorePainted Woods Mystery: Part Two
Yesterday morning, I called Richard Levine to discuss his photograph of a family group possibly posed at Painted Woods, ND. I featured the photo and the mystery in last week’s column. Levine has known about this photo for only a few months. His cousin Sally showed it to him and...
Read MoreIs this Painted Woods, North Dakota?
Photographs and history go hand in hand. Take this photo for instance. It likely represents a bit of North Dakota history.Richard Levine's cousin Sally sent him this photo. Her mother had given it to her. The mother always thought it depicted a group at the Painted Woods settlement in...
Read MoreSign up for the Family Tree Newsletter
Plus, you'll receive our 10 Essential Genealogy Research Forms PDF as a special thank you!
Get Your Free Genealogy Forms
"*" indicates required fields
Who’s That Girl?
Do you want a chance to win a trip for two to Belgium and a $1000 shopping trip to fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg's boutique? All you have to do is register on the Red Star Line blog and solve a mystery. Anyone know the identity of this...
Read MoreThe Family Home as Backdrop in Old Pictures
Before flash photography, candles and lamplight couldn't provide sufficient illumination to take a photograph of a large group indoors. Families often chose to be photographed outdoors, with the family home as a backdrop. Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor analyzes two such images on FamilyTreeMagazine.com. Solve your family photo mysteries...
Read MoreContest Winner Mystery
This is quite the photo problem. Contest winner Juliann Hansen and her family have tried for years to figure out the details in this photo. This week I'm going to outline what we know. It was found covered in dust at the Cincinnati Butchers' Supply Co. (CBS) at Elmwood Place...
Read MoreScenic Assistance
Thank you to everyone that attended last week's Photo Detective Live! webinar. Don't worry if you missed it. You can still watch and listen to it online. There's even a free PDF download to go with it. This week's photo was submitted as part of our call for images for...
Read More