This is one of the replies that I recieved from strangers in a box. I thought I would share it. > > SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE STRANGERS IN OLD BOXES > > TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING OLD UNKNOWN PICTURES > > TIPS FOR MAKING THEM MORE SAFE FOR IDENTIFYING > > 1....reduce size of picture by making good photo copies and croping > uneccesary scenery unless it identifies the picture with something specific. > > 2....scan uinidentified pictures into computor. Try to put several > pictures on one page filling up the page with numbers under each. for > identification when someone does identify it. > > 3....send by E Mail , to surname sites and County, States, possibly > connected to pictures. ( places surnames were known to have been.) > > 4..... send message with imformation such as in Family Group Sheet form, > about who the persons in pictures may be ( if you think you know ), and > where you got the pictures, such as who had them, and where they lived. etc. > > 5..... Someone out there may also have the same picture and know who and > what it is about. > > 6...... If no results . repost abt 2 weeks or more later . as people > come and go on these sites. > > 7..... When you have them identified , DO NOT WRITE ON BACK OF PICTURES OR > FRONT. Type or write identifying imfo on a acid free labels. Then > place in a corner on back of pictures at top or bottom where the scenery is > on front. > If you write on picture Ink etc may, and can come through. > > 8..... It is best to store your pictures in acid free plastic envelopes or > photo albums. > These can be bought in some Craft supply places, Photo shops, but be sure > the Company is a good one. There are some places that say they are acid > free but they are not the best because of the way they are made etc. > You can also put your own together. > 9...... Take a Sunday after noon after church. and invite family over for a > pot luck dinner. Have them bring their pictures all in albums and see if > you have the same pictures and someone else has the identifications of > them. > Be sure all your pictures are in albums as they could get lost or otherwise > disapear. > > 10.... For a more permanent safe place and album you can do the > folowing.. > Take a loose leaf notebook. > Get a box of acid free notebook plastic non glare envelope pages. Also get > a ream of acid free copy paper. Sort your pictures by unidentified and > identified. > pictures. > Take a small piece of acid free plasic tape. Take about 1 inch piece and > fold > sticky side out in a circle and flaten and place at top of picture back. > Arrange them sorted also by possible surnames and place on each side of 1 > sheet of the copy paper sheets. > Then slip the sheet into the acid free envelope and place in the notebook. > This will make them most likely safe. from getting lost or otherwise > disapear. > You also may want to place a piece of acid free plastic tape across the > middle of the top opening of the Plastic envelope closing the top in the > center of the top to prevent removal of the page with pictures on it. > I have added this to my message as I made a mistake several times of showing > pictures to several different relatives at several different times and > after they left I went to put them away and some of them were missing. > When I confronted them they denied it but later when I was at their house I > saw several of the pictures and I could and did identify as mine due > to condition and marks I knew were on back. etc. > Temptation is temptation and some people just can't resist it. Protect > yourself. when it comes to your prescious unreplaceable old pictures > > 11....... Best way to show pictures for identification. > .Another thing you can do is to take all pictures to a good copy place and > make copies of them. Number them and place them in a loose leaf notebook > numbering the pages also. (Or if you have a good scanner, make copies and > place in notebook.) > Then you don't have to worry about them and can easily note if a page is > gone which wouldn't be a great loss. > Tell your family members to make copies of pictures and put in a notebook > and number them and the pages and not to bring the originals. > Have a sheet of paper to note who and how a picture was identified using > your numbered page and number of picture. Taking your identified pictures > can help others if they have the same picture. as well as you. > > Hope the above will be of help to those with many unidentified pictures. > The above works as I have done it and also met descend cousins and rec. > copies of pictures I didn't have or ever seen before. and shared copies of > mine with the scanned pictures. > > If you can't send attatchments then post them on a web page or your Gen. > posted site and send the link and imformation about the pictures you have > and they can go to the site then E Mail you with page number and picture > number and imfo abt what they identified and how etc.