52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Favorite Photo

Looking for an interesting way to add some photos to your family history blog? The No Story Too Small blog has an creative way to do it. It is part of their “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” project.

The “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” project gives genealogists and family historians some wonderful ideas that will help them write about 52 different ancestors over the course of a year. It is a flexible project. You could jump in today and start doing the themes for April. People are encouraged to substitute a theme that fits their blog better than a suggested theme. There is no wrong way to participate!

The theme for the week of April 2 – 8 is “Favorite Photo”. It is a very open-ended theme that gives people a wide range in which to use it. Obviously, you need to start by figuring out what your favorite family photo is.

That may be easier said than done! How do you pick just one photo from all the family photos, of so many relatives and ancestors, that were taken over decades? If you truly cannot make a decision, it might be time for some randomness. Turn over the batch of photos that you are considering. Mix them up. Pick one.

If you are a genealogy or family history blogger, it may be useful to select a photo that evokes a detailed memory for you. It might be a photo of a relative’s wedding, or a group photo from Christmas or a family reunion.

Tell the story about what was going on in the photo. Point out who each person in the photo is and how they are related to you. Your blog for this theme could include some “mini-stories” about a whole bunch of relatives.

Or, maybe your favorite photo is of an ancestor who you had an especially difficult time finding information about. That one photo may be all you have that tells you anything about this particular ancestor. Blog about your research history as you tried to learn about this ancestor. What led to a “dead end”? What are you considering doing next?

The favorite photo doesn’t necessarily have to have people in it. A family history blogger could write about a photo that showed the house an ancestor grew up in. The house itself can be a starting point for talking about one of your ancestors. The same idea could work with a photo of an ancestor’s favorite car, or a photo of where an ancestor worked.

Another exciting option is to use a photo that makes people stop and wonder what was happening when the photo was taken. Choose a photo that shows an ancestor doing something slightly dangerous. That kind of photo is a great way to bring attention to a story about your ancestor.

Image by Konstantin Ryabitsev on Flickr.

Related Articles at FamilyTree.com:

* 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Luck of the Irish

* 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Love

* 52 Weeks of Ancestors