Family Tree: tag album

Posted on May 19, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

tag album by Karin van Dalen

Here is another way to represent your family tree, this time in an album. I really like the idea of having a tag for each person with a photo and some information. The album Karin used is very cool because you can take the tags out and then easily return them. I did some research to figure out where to get that kind of album but I struck out. Karin’s website is www.scrapbookatelier.nl and I found the project under her workshop section but even after translation there isn’t enough information to figure out the album. If anyone has seen as album similar to the one above I’d love to know for future reference. Even so I think it is a great idea that is adaptable to available supplies.

Family Trees: family photo diagram

Posted on January 6, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

photo collage by Cactus and Olive

Sometimes the best ideas come when you are solving a problem. This is one of those ideas. Loni Harris wanted to send her brother a family photo but the most recent one was a couple of years out of date and missing some new members. So she came up with this circular format showing three generations of her family. It is a brilliant solution and very adaptable do different numbers of children. Her readers loved it so much that she now makes custom version in her Etsy shop. At the time of writing this post she is taking a break from her shop. Hopefully it will be back up soon.

She did her’s project in Photoshop and Illustrator. I think I could do this pretty easily in InDesign. Maybe I’ve got myself a new project for Mother’s day or my Mom’s 92nd birthday. I’ll be sure to let you know how it comes out.

I’ve decided to regularly share ideas I find for family trees, so stay tuned. More to come over the coming weeks and months.

Why Do I Need Data About My Data? – Metadata

Posted on July 23, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Here is James Tanner’s answer (from “What is Metadata?”) on FamilySearch to the why metadata question:

OK, so why add metadata? This is also an easy answer. You add metadata so you can find photos on your computer and remember the information about who, what, when and where. Once the metadata is added to your photos, you can use your computer’s search function to find the photos by searching on any of the words or names you have added to the photos and stored with them in their file. How will you know if your program is storing the information with the original file or in a separate file? You might need to search in your program’s preferences or options to find a reference to adding data to your photographs.

Adding metadata to your photograph not only helps you but it helps anyone you might share that photo with, if they know to look for it. The metadata stays with the photo so anyone who has the photo can get access to the information and know everything you know about that photo. Adding metadata takes time but when it comes to family photos and documents, it is the who, what, when, where etc. that makes the photo have value.

Metadata can also be added to other types of files other than photographs. Denis Barrett Olson wrote an article about using metadata to establish provenance. There are lots of ways to use metadata to organize files and make sure that important information about a file stays with that file.

Now we know why we want to use metadata, the challenging part is actually taking the time to add it to our files.

Gift Idea #17 – Historically Inspired Photo Shoot

Posted on November 30, 2012 by tellingfamilytales

Do you have an old family photo that you really love? How about using it as the inspiration for a new family photo? You could replicate the scene, the style of dress or just the arrangement of the people. Then you could hang the two images next to each other on the wall. Or it would be fun to use the two images together on a post card or greeting card to send to family and friends. This project will also give you the opportunity to share stories or memories about the original photo and the people in that photo.