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As the weather turns hot and we prefer the cool of our air-conditioning, consider using this time to scan and preserve your photographs for future generations. The following article is a reprint from the National Genealogical Society (2024).
If you’re interested in family history, chances are you have old photographs or know of family members with pictures in need of care. Maybe they’re in a shoebox or a dusty album. Regardless of where they are now, it’s time to breathe new life into them. With today’s tools and technology, we can easily safeguard these memories and share them across generations. Begin or restart a scanning project and preserve the visual legacy of your ancestors. Take it one step at a time and let the faces of the past inspire connections in the present that will be valuable to your family in the future.
Four Steps to a Successful Scanning Project
1) Create a Plan: Outline how you’d like to organize photos and write notes as you make decisions and progress. This documentation will ensure continuity and clarity and make it easier to take a break and return to the project.
2) Get Organized: Set up a system for organizing photos that works for you. It isn’t ‘one size fits all.’ Adapt and make adjustments when needed. What’s important is to begin.
3) Decide How to Label: Part of organization is deciding how to label and group images. Your method could be by families, individuals, places, or dates. Unsure of who, where, or when in some photos? Ask—engage with your family, rekindle memories, and maybe even capture new stories.
4) Start to Scan, Tag, and Label: Scanning is the best way to preserve and share photos. Whether you scan as you go or after all of your organization is complete, digitally tag and label each image. It may be a bit time-consuming, but the reward is in effortlessly revisiting people and moments when you want and ensuring others can do so for years to come.
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