Dealing With an Excess of Inherited Photographs

Julie
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February 19, 20080 found this helpful

i cleaned out a old house that sit for many years empty. and the only grandaughter did not want an old tin can full of vintage black and white photos of her family members and the memories they had shared from way back.i could not stand to see them go in the trash. i did not know anyone of the people but just going through them was so enjoyable to see items and things used in days gone by that i never even saw before and i'm 48yrs.

Marty

February 19, 20080 found this helpful

For the sake of lost images, may I suggest that you contact the State or Local area that these pictures are from and find a library historian. They may have images of someone else's family in them and they may be looking for the past people, places, or things.

Also, please for any military images seek out a Local or State, better yet, the National Homepage for an American Legion or VFW Organization and offer to have someone look through them. Especially a WWII veteran who might have served with that outfit or remember what the uniform, (ie: metals or bands) stood for.

One last request? Many National Landmarks have been weather worn or simply changed completely. Do a little research and contact the National Parks or Monuments homepage.

These pictures my be priceless to many. Please don't just trash them they have a home in someones heart.
Thank you.

For those with no particular nostalgic or obvious artistic value, some companies are using the colored one like mosaic tiles to make wall murals that are so stunning you actually have to get up close to tell they are photos!!! Wall paper companies are doing this as well, making up the murals and selling them for murals on large walls. I believe that I could do it if I had enough photos and money to laser copy.

For those of you who have hundreds of photos, make an outline image first, then try to use the right colors, "MAIN" colors which dominate each photo, to shade/color your oversized image. You might surprise yourself. Don't use the ones that are curled or crispy.

It may be that after the entire mural was layed out on the image on the floor or oversized table, that they were blocked together with tape on the back then taken to a Kinko-type copy shop in workable sheets of photos and made into a laser print before the final artwork is done. It's a fantastic work of art is one can do it. Some companies will make huge posters of special photos, but it isn't cheap.

: )

Please don't throw them away. They will be priceless to someone looking for a photo of great aunt Hilda. I have hundreds of old photos handed down to me of our family. I scanned them into my computer and burned them into Photo CD's. Many of our family members are so excited to have these old pictures of their family.

I collect vintage photography. I am always looking for photos from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and lately 60s. Anyone who is interested in unloading any of your photos from the above-mentioned eras, let me know.

When my parents died in 2005, I scanned my mama's photos and burned them to CDs; then I bought digital frames (on sale!), copied the collection to memory sticks to work in the frames, and sent the frames with the memory sticks to my aunts. My aunt Emily, who's 95, stayed up half the night watching the pictures as they changed. She said it was the best gift anyone had ever given her.

kerly87
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July 29, 20120 found this helpful

I guess you would consider me the "family historian" for my family. I would never give pics away to strangers. I do have a big tote that when family members come they can look through and take from.