The UnWritten - Getting Started

Getting Started Introduction.

* Getting Started Introduction.

The Photo-Story Kit.

Start With A Photo.

Interviewing.

Getting Started Introduction:

We are so pleased you are here.

Creating photo-stories is a fun way to preserve personal history. You do not have to try to take on the complete family's history, although you can. Where you start, how far you go, and what direction you take is up to you. Each photo could become a project of its own. You may want to take several photo-stories from one event and create a book. Possibly the event will be a large section of time such as a childhood, or as short as a birthday party. You may want to do what we have done and create a never ending family book where photo-stories can be added forever. Whatever you decide, get started with at least one photo and work from there. The story behind the photo that you uncover and save can be as simple as a clear factual caption or as deep as a full biography.

Writing a photo-story is not genealogy. Genealogy is documented facts and that is all. If you do not have official proof then you do not have genealogy. When genealogical information and historical facts are added to your photo-story it becomes much more valuable. Genealogy will reveal my great grandmother's name, the date she was born, the names of her parents, who she married, and other recorded facts. It will not tell us that my great grandmother almost died from the flu when she was very young. It does not tell us that this flu was not an isolated situation but instead a world wide epidemic that killed millions. Genealogy does not save the actions of a true freind and neighbor in the year of 1918.

Click on the title below to open the story window. When you close the story window you will still be here.

Influenza of 1918.

1938, Charlotte Ellen Clark age 4
Genealogy will tell us my grandmother was raised on the lakes of Minnesota but it does not tell us that she could swim like a little fish at the age of two. It does not tell us about the time a tourist panicked and started screaming as a little girl dived from the deep end of the dock. She thought a baby had fallen in but grandmother was just going swimming. Genealogy does not tell us that in 1938 thin stretchy materials for swim suits were not available. The swim suit in this photograph is made of wool. WOOL! Can you imagine? Grandmother says this photograph was her mother's favorite because even though home cameras were getting more common, most people still posed by looking at the camera before having their picture taken.

(1938, Charlotte Ellen Clark age 4 )

Although photo-stories are more than genealogy you want your story to record as many facts as it can that are relevant to the story. You will want to write it so your great great grandchildren will be able to step back into time when they read it. You want to gather as much as you can about your photo. All the information you find or the unanswered questions that show up during your research will help you prepare a great interview when it is time to get the whole story from the story holder. Even if you are the one who holds the story the Interview section is for you also. Follow the arrows as you take your photo through each of the sections. Only when you have thoroughly researched your photo will you be well prepared to write a photo-story for the future. The next page offers you the Photo-Story Kit with 5 worksheets for you to print.