Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

The Genea-Bloggers Facebook Group poses some interesting challenges that must be considered carefully for genealogists, family historians and history buffs. I recently posted a list of books that I can't live without, set aside time to participate in a scan-fest, and did some thinking about combining these into this special event called the Treasure Hunt Challenge.

Treasure hunts were big in my family. My grandmother always made one for me to find a special toy, puzzle or book "hidden" in her house when I came to visit. I, in turn, made one Easter special for my daughter by making a treasure hunt for her Easter basket one Easter long ago when she was becoming too old to care about the event. She's still talking about it!

I started today to tackle a very large project. I am the keeper of the family photographs. What you see here in this photo is a small portion of the photographs that I own. Sadly, there would be more but my mother discarded two albums of ancient snapshots before she died and her excuse was that she didn't know the people in the photos. I try not to be angry even now. I know you feel my pain.

My plan for this treasure hunt challenge is:

1. Go downstairs and put all the photos in one place.
2. Choose the most important photos to be scanned for "Scanfest" (this Sunday)
3. Check the "Scanned items" folder on my USB-based portable hard drives and make a list of photos I have scanned previously (and do some in TIFF format that I haven't done)
4. Read (re-read) Maureen Taylor's book, Preserving Your Family Photographs
5. Read Sally Jacob's document on archiving
6. Order an archival safe box and some acid-free envelopes to store the photos
7. Place the photos in order of importance in the envelops and container.
8. Take a follow-up photo of the progress for others to see