My family elders have all passed away leaving me with boxes and boxes and boxes of old photographs, letters and memorabilia.
I’m left piecing our family history together from boxes, something my elders said they would do one day.
Photographs tell a story, unlock memories, and reveal connections to people, places and time.
While sorting pictures into piles, folders and envelopes, I was wondering how to start to tell our family story.
Well, I decided to start with just one photograph.
A photograph of six year old me surrounded by all my elders!
From this one photograph, I can introduce each person and expand their story complemented with snapshots from the past.
Four generations in one snapshot!
Who were they?
When and where did they live?
What did they do?
I am fortunate my elders were good at keeping record of dates, people and places.
My wish is to transform boxes of photographs into stories through a personal journal of sorts beyond family lineage because every picture tells a story.
Memory is a living thing – it too is in transit. But during its moment, all that is remembered joins and lives – the old and the young, the past and the present, the living and the dead. ~ Edora Welty
Back Porch Studio 
My mother left me with pictures. Many do say who the people are – but sadly there are many that I have no idea who they were. So I’m making sure my family pictures are all marked for my children.
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Mine left totes full of pictures with almost no names, and I have no idea who most of them are! Still, I appreciate the pictures.
Hopefully, I’ll get all our family pictures labeled.
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