Portraits of a Life – Step 4: Edit, Enhance & Restore

To bring the original family portraits and snapshots into the digital realm there are several steps that I follow. A series of blog posts will explain the workflow that is used for the Portraits of a Life project.

Step 1: Create a Digital Image

Step 2: Archive the Original Image

Step 3: Preliminary Sort

Step 4: Edit, Enhance & Restore

Step 5: Identification

Step 6: Finalize Organization

Step 7: Share 

The fourth step in the process is to edit, enhance and restore the digital images you took in Step 1: Create a Digital Image. Step 4 is the step that typically takes the most time. I often to do editing in batches and work through several images in one setting. The edits go faster in time and with practice. It also depends on how much restoration the photograph requires.

If you are working to process a lot of digital images it is helpful to create a work plan. This is where Step 3: Preliminary Sort is helpful. The purpose of Step 3 is to provide overall perspective on what photographs you have digitized.  Understanding what you have helps you make a work plan to move forward. In my workflow I am working to edit the oldest photographs in my collection first. These include tin type photographs from the 1800’s and the photographs from my great grandmothers' collections. Once I have edited the older images I will begin to edit the photographs of the younger generations.  

Your workflow priority will be a function of what images are in your collection and your archive goals. Making a work plan makes Step 4 less overwhelming. The ultimate goal is to break your archive project down into a series of small steps so that you can reach the ultimate goal of sharing your heirloom photographs.

I edit my images Adobe Photoshop version CS5. Note that some menus and Adobe references may not be the same in newer versions. When I make edits I typically work in the preliminary sort directory. For more details see Step 3: Preliminary Sort.

I have made the decision to edit all of my images to commercial printing standards.  This will ensure if I opt to print these images in the future the images are properly formatted.  There is a difference between viewing a picture on a screen and a commercially printed image. The CMYK commercial printing processes blends four colors Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black together to produce a range of color. If black and white images are not prepared correctly the images may appear tinted when printed.

When I started working on my family history book a few years ago I developed my workflow based on Blurb’s advice  to produce black and white images for the commercial printing process. Blurb is the commercial printing company I have opted to work with for printed family tree books.  The company offers quality professional products that can be ordered in single quantities. 

The workflow also produces images that can also be printed successfully at larger scales. For examples of photos reproduced in this workflow view my family tree book Our Ancestors The Book: Volume I: The Murosky and Bukowski Family History.  The blog post Step 1: Create a Digital Image also shows comparisons between the original images and the reproductions.  

To explain the steps in my workflow to edit, enhance and restore the old photographs I will walk you through an editing example. This is a first communion photograph of my great grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski, This image previously unknown to most of my family was included in the large collection of photographs I obtained this spring. 

1.       Open the raw image or the digital negative in Adobe Photoshop

If you took raw images in Step 1: Create a Digital Image you will have a raw image and  an additional image file. The raw image will have the file extension .raw.  . 

Note that the .raw files from some newer digital cameras will not open in older version of Adobe Photoshop.  Adobe has a digital negative converter (DNG Converter) available for download.  The DNG Converter allows .raw files to be converted to digital negatives which are .dng files. The .dng files can then be opened in Adobe Photopshop. I delete the .raw file after the conversation. These files can be large and take up a lot of space on your computer. 

A preliminary edit screen will open with .raw and .dng images. I opt to not make edits in this screen and click “open image”.

The preliminary open screen in Adobe Photoshop

The original image open in Photoshop before editing.

2. Save a copy of the file as a Photoshop file

It is important to save a copy to maintain the original. You may want to reference the original at a later time or go back to the original if you are not happy with the first set of edits. To save a copy select the File menu, select Save As a popup window will open. 

• Save In file location: Use the pull down menu to change the directory if needed.
• File name: This field will be populated based on the original image.  When I am working I use the same name with different file type extensions. This keeps all of the images together.
• Format:  Select Photoshop from the options

The Save As window in Adobe Photoshop

3. Rotate and Crop the image

When the original image was re-photographed the camera captured the background in addition to the original image. . 

If an image is obviously crooked I will rotate the image before cropping. If I am not sure how far off the image is I will select the crop tool from the menu and select the crop zone shown in the white outline below. The crop zone can be viewed without completing the crop. Using the ESC key on your keyboard allows you to undo the selection. If you do crop and wish to go back select the Edit menu, Step Backward to revert to the original image. 

A test of the crop zone to explore if image rotation is required.

To rotate the image select the Image menu, select Image Rotation, Arbitrary… This option brings up a menu which allows the rotation angle and the option for CW or CCW. I will often use a small angle for example 0.1 and rotate a few times to achieve the rotation needed. Every image is different. 



The Adobe Photoshop rotation screen that opens after selecting the Image menu, select Image Rotation, Arbitrary…

 

As you can see from the image below more of the original can now be captured based on the slight rotation. To complete the crop. Select the Crop tool again, highlight the crop zone and click enter on your keyboard. The cropped image will now be displayed.



Crop zone shown on rotated image.

The cropped image.

4. Convert the image Black and White

The conversion to Black and White is the part of the process that ensures the image will print correctly in a commercial printing process. Select the Image menu, Adjustments, Black and White. This option will open the black and white menu. The preset option has different black and white filters. Select the top filter – “Blue Filter” and then use the down arrow on your keyboard to pre-view your image with the different filter options. Choose the option which adds the most clarity your image but does not wash out the image. I have found the “Green Filter” works well on many old photographs to capture the details. However it depends on the particular image. After selecting the filter option you like click okay to apply the filter.

Note that if the old photograph is colorized I skip this step.

Convert the image Black and White. Example of a  Blue Filter.

Note the difference between the blue filter (above) and the green filter (below). In this example the green filter brightens the image and enhances the background while maintaining the details.

Convert the image Black and White. Example of a  Green Filter. This is the option I selected.

5. Check the Shadows/Highlights

Some old photographs appear very dark and have a lot of shadows. Photoshop has an option to remove the shadows from an image. Select the Image menu, Adjustments, Shadows/Highlights. Photoshop will automatically adjust the shadows in the image. The sliders can be adjusted as well. The preview of the image will be shown. To keep the changes select ok. If you don’t want to keep the adjustment select cancel.

Some images will clean up nicely with this option and others will appear grainy or over processed. For the particular image I have opted not to use this adjustment.  When editing I may test this step on an image. If I don’t like the edit I won’t choose this option.

Check the Shadows/Highlights

6. Adjust the Curves

Changing the curves can enhance and sharpen the image. This adjustment can often add clarity. To adjust the curves select the Image menu, Adjustments, Curves… The curves menu is similar to the Black and White menu. Selecting the top option and using the down arrow on your keyboard will allow you to pre-view the different options. Working through the different options will enhance different elements of the photograph – some options brighten, some darken and some sharpen. The solution is unique to the image. In most examples I have found the pre-set curves have worked well to enhance the old photographs. Occasionally I will tweak one of the pre-set curves manually. The curves can also be manually adjusted by selecting the box in the graph and moving it.

Adjust the Curves - default image

The above image is the default image before applying curves. In this example I opted to use lighter (shown below) as this option balanced out the darker background. It also did not wash out her face or loose detail in her dress. Some of the additional shadows have been removed. 

Adjust the Curves - Lighter (RGB). The option selected. 

In cases where the original image is very dark after performing the above steps I will also explore exposure adjustments. To access the exposure tool select he Image menu, Adjustments, Exposure…  The exposure and the offset can be adjusted using the sliders or by changing the number in the white box. Note that the changes in exposure can easily washout out black and white images. I tend to only use this option if the image still appears dark after checking the Shadows/Highlights and Curves. Most images can be enhanced without adjustments to exposure.



7. Final Edits

Depending on the image some spotting and discoloration may have been repaired by completing the above steps. Some spots or damage may still be present. These imperfections can be removed using different tools. The Spot Healing Brush Tool is one tool I use to remove spots and repair damage from the images. I will typically adjust the size of the spot healing tool based on how large the spot is. I have found working to the size of the spot results in a cleaner final image. Depending on how much you are cleaning up this step can more or less time. There are several other tools in Adobe for making repairs to old images. When done correctly the spots or damage will no longer be noticeable.

 Left image before final edits. Right image after final edits.

8. Apply a Sepia Filter


The final step is to apply a sepia filter to the image. Applying a sepia filter also gives the image some warmth. A sepia filter also helps to balance out the images when printed. To add the sepia filter select the Image menu, Adjustments, Photo Filter… Select Sepia from the pull down options. The slider can be adjusted to enhance the filter if desired.

The Adobe Photoshop Photo Filter Screen

  

9. Save a high resolution copy

After completing my edits I save my work.I also save a high resolution copy of the image in .tiff format. To save a copy select the File menu, select Save As a popup window will open. Under Format select the option for TIFF (*.TIF, *.TIFF). A .tiff file will be a high resolution image that can be used for printing.

 

A review the Original Image before Edits.

The final image after Editing, Enhancing & Restoration.

Our Ancestors - The Murosky & McDonald Ancestral Lines did not receive any compensation for providing a this workflow using Adobe Photoshop. Our Ancestors - The Murosky & McDonald Ancestral Lines did not receive any compensation for recommending Blurb commercial printing services. 

Portraits of a Life – Step 3: Preliminary Sort

To bring the original family portraits and snapshots into the digital realm there are several steps that I follow. A series of blog posts will explain the workflow that is used for the Portraits of a Life project.

Step 1: Create a Digital Image
Step 2: Archive the Original Image
Step 3: Preliminary Sort
Step 4: Edit, Enhance & Restore
Step 5: Identification
Step 6: Finalize Organization
Step 7: Share 

The third step in the process is to transfer the digital images you took in Step 1: Create a Digital Image to your computer. If you are working through a lot photographs the process of organizing the digital images can appear to be very overwhelming. To simply the process I often do a preliminary sort of the images. The preliminary sort allows the organizational process to be started without having to make the final organizational decisions. The preliminary sort also makes the process of working with the digital content less overwhelming.

The first thing to do is to determine where on your computer you would like to store the digital images. On my computer I have a dedicated directory for photographs. Within that directory I have a sub-directory dedicated to the old family photographs.

Within my old family photos directly I created a folder with the name “_To Be Sorted”. This folder will house digital images that have been taken see Step 1: Create a Digital Image. When I transfer photographs to the computer I create the folder with the date the photographs were taken. I opt to use the filing structure “Year_Month_Day” this ensures that the data will always sort in chronological order (note a leading 0 is needed for single-digit months and days). The digital images are then copied from the digital camera into the folder. In the example below there are several folders of pending digital images to be processed.  

Depending on how you were working you may have photographed several different groups of old photographs. I try to make the most of my time during Step 1: Create a Digital Image and often do several different groupings of old photographs in one session. When you transfer the images across from your digital camera the images will be located in one large directory. An example of images in one large directory is shown below. The images will appear in the order taken by the camera. 

This is where the preliminary sort is useful. The preliminary sort allows the process of organizing the photographs to be started. I find it is helpful to do this step shortly after taking the images (within a few days). You may also wish to consult the original photographs before returning these to storage. I create a series of sub-folders under the dated folder. The sub-folders are based on the content that was taken during the session. Note these are preliminary folder names with the goal of moving your archive project forward.

To provide some clarity I will use a recent example based on a grouping of old photographs my husband and I photographed earlier in the summer.  The old photographs included individual formal portraits, formal wedding portraits, several old albums and numerous loose images. The folder names were a function of the content we photographed that day. An example of the working directory with sub-folders is shown below.

What do the different folder names mean?

Folders Named After Individuals

In folders that are named after individuals contain images specific to that person. The images may be formal portraits or snapshots. I opt to use the naming convention – Last Name, First Name birth year. I use the birth year as I have some individuals in my family tree with the same first name and the same last name.

Ex. Bukowski, Helen 1901

Folders Named After Events

If I can determine the photographs are from a specific event I will group these images together. The folder name will be associated with the event name. Some common events are weddings and anniversary parties. Others have included groups of photographs were the people are wearing the same clothes – for example a summer party.  I opt to use the name convention – Last Name, First Name – Event or Last Name, First Name & Last Name, First Name – Event.  If the event is unknown the folder could be named for the party.

Ex. McDonald, Loraine & Frances – 35^th Anniversary

Ex. Murosky, Edward & Forgrash, Margaret - Wedding

Groupings of People

When I am working to digitize images I am often working with a large range of time periods. One batch of photographs may be my great-grandmother. The next may be my father and his siblings or myself and my cousins. I have found it useful to group family images together in the preliminary sort especially if the photographs include multiple people.  I opt to make the naming convention start with the surname of the individual/s who link the group together.

Ex. McDonald, Loraine - children

Ex. Murosky, Arthur – children

Ex. Murosky, Arthur - grandchildren

Old Albums

Another example is grouping images together that were included in an old photo album. During the preliminary sort phase I have found it useful to locate all images from an old album into one folder. This keeps the content of the old album together during the preliminary sort phase. You can make decisions at a later time if you would like to keep the album images together or to separate them.

Unknowns

The final folder I will make is to house the unknowns. If I have a group of old photographs where I currently do not know who is in the images I will group these together. Locating the unknowns together is useful. At a time in the future someone may be able to assist with helping to identify who is in the photographs. 

The list of folders above is a sampling of what I have used. The goal is to use the folder names that make the most sense for your archive project. The end goal is to reach a point where the old photographs can be shared with others.  

WWI Centennial: Where were they? The Anthony Murosky Sr. Family

This is the second post in the WWI Centennial series. The series is focused on where were members of my family living on August 5, 1914 when they learned war had been declared in Europe. What thoughts may they have had? How were they impacted? I hope this series of blog posts around the WWI Centennial will be both interesting and informative for the reader.

The second family to be featured will be Anthony Murosky Sr. and his wife Eva Zielinski my 2^nd great grandparents.

Immigrants Anthony Murosky Sr. and his wife Eva were living in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania when they learned war had been declared in Europe. It has been 22 years since Anthony left Europe and 20 years since Eva left Europe.  Census records indicate that Anthony arrived in 1892 and Eva in 1984. The couple married in 1894.  Historical records indicate the couple was living in Forest City when their oldest son Anthony was born in 1889.  Details of their passage from Europe are unknown at this time. My grandfather told me the family lineage was Lithuanian. The census records record the place of birth for Anthony and Eva as “Russ-Polish” before the WWI and “Lithuania” after WWI. 

It is plausible the Anthony and Eva were born in modern day Lithuania possibly along the border of Poland. Both Lithuania and the eastern portions of Poland would have been part of the Russian Empire in 1910.   Lithuania was restored when portions of eastern European lands were stripped from the Russian. The Second Polish Republic was formed from the lands Russian and Prussia had annexed in the partitions of Poland in the late 1700’s.  It is currently unknown where Anthony and Eva were living prior to departing Europe.

The 1910 United States Federal Census recorded the family living at 128 Delaware Street, Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The census indicates the family was renting this house. The 1920 United States Federal Census recorded the family living at 408 Main Street, Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The census indicates the family was renting this house.

The Murosky family residences in Forest City

 The household would likely have included:

• Head Anthony Sr., age 51
• Wife Eva, age 44
• Son Anthony, age 24, (my great great-grandfather)
• Son Joseph, age 14
• Son Gustave Joseph, age 15
• Son William, age 12
• Daughter Esther, age 5
• Son Charles, age 1

Anthony and Eva also lost an infant son Frank in 1907.  The 1910 census indicates that Eva was the mother of 9 children and only 5 were living. If this information is accurate there are three additional children that are not recorded in historical documents located to date.

The couple’s oldest daughter Margaret, age 23, married John Chanis a Lithuanian immigrant in 1914.  According to his naturalization record for citizenship John was born July 25, 1895 in Vilna, Lithuania. Margaret may or may not have been living in the household with her parents in August of 1914.  

By 1914 the family was well established in the community. Forest City had a thriving Lithuanian population. Many of these immigrants also attended the same church.  Anthony Sr. and his son-in-law John Chanis were working in the coal mines. The oldest son Anthony was also likely employed working in the coal mines. The 1920 census records Anthony Jr.  as a motorman in the coal mines.

The 1910 census indicates that both Anthony Sr.  was able to read and write English. Eva is recorded as unable to read and write English. The 1910 census also indicates that Anthony, Sr. had not applied for citizenship and his status was recorded as “alien.”

After learning war had been declared Anthony and Eva may have pondered the impact their hometowns. Russian troops would have to travel through Lithuania to reach the border with Prussia held territory. The western potions of Lithuania also bordered Prussian lands. They each may have been worried about the families they left behind 20 years earlier.  Each would have realized their nephews of age were likely to be called to serve in the Russian Army.  

European Alliances in 1914 - West Point

It is currently unknown if this couple maintained any contact with their European family members. No details have been revealed to date which indicate there was any correspondence.

References:

1. 1910 U. S. census, 1910 United States Federal Census schedule, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; Online Images, Record for Anthony Meroski
2. 1920 U. S. census, 1920 United States Federal Census schedule, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Online Images, Record for Anthony Maroski
3. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1944 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Record for Frank Moroski
4. U.S., Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Middle District Court of Pennsylvania, District Court; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Record for John Chanis
5. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Record for Anthony H. Murosky
6. 40 maps that explain World War I 
7. Historic maps of Forest City
8. Google Maps

WWI Centennial: Where were they? The Vincinety Frank Bukowski Family

On the evening of August 4, 1914 Great Britain declared war on Germany. The result was a long war with lasting consequences that would change the world. The war was one of the most deadly conflicts in history resulting in more than 9 million casualties. Great Briton lost its prominence as the leading world nation. The United States began assent as a world power. The war resulted in a tragic ending for the Russian monarchy when Czar Nicolas II, his wife and children were executed by the Bolsheviks. Other members of the Russian monarchy were also murdered. Those who survived lived in exile for the rest of their lives. Russia was forced to cede large tracks of land in the Ukraine and the Crimea – areas that remain in conflict today.   Prussia became a free state when Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated his throne.   The Treaty of Versailles broke up much of the Prussian empire – territory was ceded to Belgium, Lithuania and portions of Czechoslovakia.  The Second Polish Republic was formed from the lands Prussia had annexed in the partitions of Poland in the late 1700’s.

Earlier this week I found myself wondering – where were members of my family living on August 5, 1914 when they learned war had been declared in Europe. What thoughts may they have had? How were they impacted? I hope this series of blog posts around the WWI Centennial will be both interesting and informative for the reader.

The first family to be featured will be my 2^nd great grandparent -Vincinety Frank Bukowski and his wife Franciska Kwiatkowski.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and his wife Franciska had been living in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania for 19 years when they woke up to the news that war had been declared in Europe. The couple arrived at Ellis Island May 1, 1895 with three small children. They had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland.  The census and other historical documents indicate the family was living in “Germany” before the WWI and “Poland” after WWI.  This likely indicates the family was living on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city where they were living prior to departure is currently unknown.

The couple’s oldest daughters were living in Erie, Pennsylvania with their spouses in close proximity to their parents. The families would have been able to walk between houses.

The Bukowski family residences in 1914

The oldest daughter TeoFila, age 25, was living with her husband Frank Gaczkowski and two small children. Arthur was 3 and Dorothy was 2. The 1914 City of Erie Directory indicates the couple was living at 705 E.  10^th Street. Frank was working as a constable.

The second daughter Catherine age 23, was living with her husband Joseph Zelazny. The couple had lost their first baby Frank who was born October 4, 1911. Daughter Irene was born in 1912. The 1914 City of Erie Directory indicates the couple, recorded as  “Zelazny, Stanislaus,  was living at 425 E. 13^th  street.  

The 1914 City of Erie Directory indicates that Vincinety and Franciska were living at 720 East 15th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania. The remaining children were still living with them in August of 1914. The household would have included:

• Son William, age 20 is also listed in the 1914 city of Erie directory as Boleslaus living with his parents.
• Son John, age 17
• Son Gustave Joseph, age 15
• Daughter Helen Tillie, age 13, (my great grandmother)
• Daughter Clara, age 11
• Son Joseph, age 8

 Vincinety and Franciska also lost two infants a daughter Josefa in 1909  and a son Edward in 1911.

The 1914 City of Erie Directory. Vincent and son William, shown as Boleslaus,
are on the left hand page in the upper portion of the second column. 

By 1914 the family was well established in the Erie community. They were members of St. Stanislaus Church.  Both Vincinety and William were working as laborers. The 1910 census indicates that both Vincinety was able to read and write English. Franciska is recorded as speaking Polish.  

After hearing the news that war had been declared the younger children may not have understood the impact. It is also difficult to know how this knowledge resonated with the older sons – William, John and Gustave. Vincinety and Franciska would have understood that if they were still living in Prussia their oldest sons would very likely have been serving in the Army. The couple would also have had perspective on potential impacts to their hometown. They may have been worried about the family members they had not seen in 19 years. They would have realized their nephews of age were likely serving in the Army on their way into battle.

It is currently unknown and it may never be known how much contact the couple had with their European family members.  Edward Zelazny [son of Catherine  Bukowski & Joseph Zelazny, grandson of Vincinety Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski] had a few old photographs he believed were from the European relatives. These images were black and whites. The photographs appear to have been taken after Vincinety & Franciska  were living in Pennsylvania.  The dates and the people in the photographs are unknown.  

Unknown relatives from Europe. 

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port
2. 1910 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 2nd Ward, 1910 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent
3. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 - Erie, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1914 page 377 (digital 184).
4. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 - Erie, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1914 page 501 (digital 249).
5. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 - Erie, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1914 page 984 (digital 491).
6. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1944 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Record for Zelazny, Frank
7. Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Zelazny, Frank
8. Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Bukowski, Josefa
9. Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Bukowski, Edward
10. Edward Zelazny photo collection
11. Google Maps

Portraits of a Life – Step 2: Archive the Original Image

To bring the original family portraits and snapshots into the digital realm there are several steps that I follow. A series of blog posts will explain the workflow that is used for the Portraits of a Life project.

Step 1: Create a Digital Image
Step 2: Archive the Original Image
Step 3: Preliminary Sort
Step 4: Edit, Enhance & Restore
Step 5: Identification
Step 6: Finalize Organization
Step 7: Share

The second step in the process is archive the original photograph. Of all the steps in the process Step 1: Create a Digital Image and Step 2: Archive the Original Image are the most critical. Step 1 ensures that a copy of the original photograph exists and step 2 ensures that the original photograph is properly preserved and stored.  Proper preservation ensures that the photographs can be handed down to the next generation of researchers.

The Materials

The first step is to use quality archive materials. In order to protect the original photographs it is important to use the correct materials for storage. The recommended method is to store photographs in individual sleeves.  Photographs taken at different times can contain different chemicals. Storing the photos in sleeves will ensure that the chemicals from one photo do not leach into another and cause damage. An acid free backing board can be used for old photographs that are very fragile. After placing the photographs in sleeves, the photographs should be stacked on their ends in archival boxes that are acid free.  Storing an old photo on the end reduces the amount of pressure on the image. 

After some research I opted to purchase products from Bags Unlimited. Bags Unlimited was great and answered my questions when I called seeking advice.  Their line of polypropylene sleeves, acid free backing boards and storage boxes are designed to work as a system. There is also an option to purchase dividers which can be used with to organize photographs within storage boxes.  The prices were affordable and I was pleased with the quality of the products. 

Archive supplies in a range of sizes

The collections in my care feature many photographs there are some that are over one hundred years old. It is very important to purchase the correct materials. Note that different types of sleeve materials are available. Be sure to check with the manufacturer that the sleeve material you intend to use is appropriate for your storage method.

Many of my old photographs are small. I opted to order a range of polypropylene sleeve sizes including 3-1/2x5, 4x5 and 4x6. All three sleeve sizes store nicely in the 4x6 archive box.  I also opted to order one large 8-1/2x 11archive box. This box allows me to storage larger 8-1/2x11 photographs, 5x7 photographs and other odd sized photographs.  I also opted to order 8x10 polypropylene sleeves and 5x7 polypropylene sleeves.

Handling the Photos

It is very important to make sure that your hands are clean when you handle photographs. Minimizing the amount of contact is important to ensure that oil and finger prints are not transferred to the photographs.

If you have a large quantity of photographs to sort through consider getting white cotton gloves that archivists use. These will allow the photographs to be handled without the risk of adding finger prints.

Moving from Chaos to Order

The workflow I am currently using is to re-photograph the original image as described in Step 1: Create a Digital Image. After taking a photograph of the original I place the original photograph in a polypropylene sleeve and store the photo in the archive boxes.  Photographing the originals before placing in sleeves minimizes the contact with the original photograph.

Old photographs in the original piles

If this step appears over whelming – one way to start would be to take old photographs that are currently sitting in piles, place them in sleeves and store on their ends.  The photographs can then be viewed, studied or sorted at a later time. The preliminary use of dividers allows the option to maintain the original piles or groupings in the storage boxes.

Move from old photographs stored in envelopes to 
photographs sleeved and placed in archival storage boxes. 

The use of dividers can also allow you to take another step – separating the photographs by family, event, ect. 

The 4x6 storage box with photographs placed in polypropylene sleeves and stored on end. 

Storage

It is important to store photographs in the correct conditions.  Old photographs can be damaged by exposure to light, moisture and temperature variations. It is not recommended to store old photographs in unconditioned spaces – basements and attics. The photos should be stored in climate controlled areas – for example a closet in a heating and air-conditioned portion of your home.

Display

If you have what you believe is an original or the only copy of an old photograph it is recommended that a copy be made for display and the original properly stored. Over time continued exposure to light can damage old photographs.  Additionally – over time photographs can bond to glass if displayed in frames. 

Very old photographs like Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and Tin Types should be re-photographed and the original stored where it is not exposed to light.

If you have old photographs in original frames such as the oval frames popular in the 1920’s consider hanging the original in a location where the photograph will not be exposed to direct sunlight.  Old photographs in original frames can also be photographed in their frames using the steps discussed in Step 1: Create a Digital Image.

There are other helpful tips about care and storage of photographs available at this link.

The review of the Bags Unlimited products was done at my discretion. Our Ancestors - The Murosky & McDonald Ancestral Lines did not receive any compensation for providing a review of products.  

Portraits of a Life – Step 1: Create a Digital Image

To bring the original family portraits and snapshots into the digital realm there are several steps that I follow. A series of blog posts will explain the workflow that is used for the Portraits of a Life project. 

Step 1: Create a Digital Image

Step 2: Archive the Original Image

Step 3: Preliminary Sort

Step 4: Edit, Enhance & Restore

Step 5: Identification

Step 6: Finalize Organization

Step 7: Share

The first of many steps in this process is to create a digital image of the original photograph. Creating a digital image is important for several reasons. The first is if the original is ever lost or damaged a copy of the photograph can live on. Every year natural disasters occur and houses burn down. With careful planning you can ensure that a natural disaster or other incident does not destroy the only copy of family photographs.  Respected author Dick Eastman discusses this topic in detail in his article Suggestion: The Time to Digitize Historic Items is NOW

The second reason for creating a digital image is the opportunity to share these treasures.  The digital images can distribute to family members. Many genealogists are bringing their online family trees to life by including images of their ancestors. Family trees are no longer limited to facts and figures. The images can also be printed in family history books as I have opted to do. Copies of images can also be displayed in frames without having to worry about damage to the original. 

There are a few methods that can be used to do create a digital image – taking a photograph of the original or using a high resolution scanning.  If you are interested in archival photography Gary W. Clark has written a great guide called Archive Photography: How to photograph oversize photos, curled documents, and heirloom treasures. Some tips for creating digital versions of the original visit this link.

After some experimenting with both photography and scanning - the method I have opted to use is taking a photograph of the original. I opted to photograph the original for a few reasons. The first – I felt the resolution was much better. The second – higher resolution was achieved in less time. The third – the most flexibility for future sharing and printing. This method allows the original image to be printed at a larger size. A scan will only allow the original to be reproduced at the same size. 

This process works best when done with a partner. My husband assists me with this step.  He operates the camera and I place the images in range on the view finder. We use an old photo album with a black page as the background.  

HERE

A two person process makes it go faster. I am holding my grandparent's wedding photo. 

We place our digital SLR camera on a tripod and adjust the camera to face the image.  The camera is set to manual mode to photograph the images in Raw format (.raw). [Note that some newer digital cameras may have the ability to photograph in Raw format in automatic mode.] We use manual mode in order to shoot with natural lighting and no flash.  Natural lighting provides the best coloring of the original image. We shoot in our kitchen and use the blinds to adjust the light level. The lamp above the table is off when we photograph the originals.

Digital SLR Camera mounted on tripod. 

Digital SLR Camera mounted on tripod. 

The goal is to fill the view finder with the image. Filling the image with the view finder is important to ensure the image has the highest resolution possible.

Why shoot in Raw?

A Raw image preserves the largest range of information from the original image. Using the Raw format the details from the original image can be picked up and enhanced. The raw format also provides the ability to increase the size of the original.

In the examples below the original image is approximately 4 inches x 3 inches. The printed size of the book is a 12 inch x 12 inch page. The original photograph is shown with the same image printed in the book. In these examples the printed image was double the size of the original while maintaining resolution.

Original image 4x3 - Printed book page is 12x12

>

Original image 4x3 - Printed book page is 12x12

Opting to shoot in photograph the original images does require more steps to produce an image that can be used for sharing and printing. The additional steps will be detailed in future blog posts. 

What is most important is that if you find the method that works the best for you. If you have priceless family photos – make a digital image to preserve the original.