Organize Scanned Items from Others

[bestcee]

I have inherited a whole bunch of photos and such from my mother in law. I'm the default memory keeper in my extended family. I want to get it scanned sooner than later so I can ask her about the photos and get the stories. Some of it, I can have her talk about before it's scanned in, but a lot of it is photo CD's and such. There's also an abundance of art that doesn't need to be kept, and a photobook of it would be perfect.

So, how do you organize scanned items from other people? I don't really know what I have, so it's hard to know if I should try to organize it first, or, just scan it in, and organize it after?

 

[jagruti patel]

I think I would organize first then scan. That way you can group the scans together now. I think it would easier then trying to do so after.

 

[bestcee]

That way you can group the scans together now.

I hadn't thought about that!

 

[janedee]

I would organize the photos first by decade or year, depending on how many there are, then scan them. Give them each a unique name, then sit down with her and either create a word file or have recipe cards ready to record the names of the people, the story and index them by the photo name.

I've also received lots of heritage photos from dh's family. Unfortunately, there are few names on them and no-one left to ask the stories relating to them. DH knows a bit but there are some big gaps and questions.

 

[HavaDrPepper]

Great ideas here by others. On the computer side, I would set up a folder called "Family" then have subfolders for each branch that you have photos for. In the subfolders you could also put the documentation of the stories (however you choose to do it). That way all info for each family is together. And, if some of the stories actually applied to different family names, I'd put a copy in both folders.

With the books I've made for my cousins, there are some layouts that are in both books and I've actually put a copy in each of the sub-folders for the family. Yeah, duplication but when I went to make the books I could just pull from that folder and not look for layouts elsewhere.

This all goes back to my genealogy days when everything was on paper. Each family had their own folder and documentation pertaining to multiple branches was in each folder.

 

[BevG]

I use Lightroom - you can change the metadata date captured to the actual year of the photo, i.e. 1943 (September 1 if is a fall photo, etc.). You can also write text in the caption field about who is in the photo, etc. or even that you made up the date. You can use the Location field if you know where it was taken. You can also tag it with the family name to help group the photos.

And because LR will let you use any file folder structure you want, you could even use the ideas @HavaDrPepper suggested.

 

[BevG]

Example of a photo my cousin uploaded to Ancestry as I captured it from when she shared it on Facebook. My Grandma is on the far right. I have not cropped it yet to remove the Ancestry border from the photo. I set the date as Jan 1 since it was a guess, but based on the sleeves, it probably should have been June or July. I did not put any keyword tags on this one, but I did put it a folder based on Grandfather's last name.

 

[HavaDrPepper]

Also wanted to say that having the families separated into folders on the computer makes it easier if you need to share with another family member. In fact, I shared a folder of Marker info with a cousin. All I had to do was copy it to the CD and send it to him (this was a few years ago).

I had also set up a folder for just my Dad and put some of my favorite photos of him in there from throughout his life. When he passed, I copied that folder to a thumb drive and gave it to the funeral home for the digital photo gallery.

@BevG's ideas are great as well as long as you use Lightroom. I don't count on others using the same programs as me so save info with that in mind.

 

[bestcee]

Unfortunately, there are few names on them and no-one left to ask the stories relating to them. DH knows a bit but there are some big gaps and questions.

This is my fear! So far, she has a good memory of the past, and it's just the present that stumps her. That's why I'm trying to get some done quickly before she forgets.

 

[bestcee]

In the subfolders you could also put the documentation of the stories (however you choose to do it). That way all info for each family is together. And, if some of the stories actually applied to different family names, I'd put a copy in both folders.

This is brilliant! Plus, since the folders will carry over to Lightroom, it'll make it even easier to have things sorted together!

 

[bestcee]

You can also write text in the caption field about who is in the photo, etc. or even that you made up the date

This made me giggle!

I love the idea of using the caption field, and that's my plan. I'm hoping to show her the photos and record her talking about them (with some cue for me about when we changed photos). I think she'll talk more that way, but I could then add the story to the caption field!

 

[keepscrappin]

Wonderful ideas… need to follow this thread

 

[gonewiththewind]

Right now, I just have a folder "HERITAGE" and then I have:

Cheryl - Maternal
Cheryl - Paternal
Jay - Maternal
Jay - Paternal

I try to have the file name be the person/persons included in the photo, along with a date (if I have one).

I **love** the ideas in this thread and I'm going to try to incorporate them into my already existing organization!