Make & keep
Put names to faces in a family photo strip
A small interview can preserve more than a confident guess from appearance.
Before an old strip becomes an anonymous row of faces, ask the people who might recognise it. The aim is to save what they know, including disagreement, without asking the photograph to answer questions it cannot.
Begin with an unmarked copy
The National Archives recommends adding basic who, what, where and when information to digitised family material. For a shared identification session, number the frames on a copy rather than writing across the original.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Ask one question at a time
Start with the person’s name, then ask how the relative recognises them. Record a full name if known, alternative spellings and the speaker’s relationship to the sitter. Ask about the occasion separately. A remembered name does not automatically establish a date or location, and two relatives may remember different parts of the same outing.
Keep the answers attached
Our suggested record has four fields: frame number, proposed identity, person supplying the information and confidence. For example: frame 2; possibly Aunt Rosa; identified by Sam; uncertain. Save the date of the conversation and retain the original wording of useful memories. Do not erase an earlier attribution silently when a better answer arrives.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- US National Archives — digitising family archivesPreservation guidance