The work actually begins before Lightroom when you scan those old photos.  You can purchase scanners that handle negatives, slides and prints.  As with everything, quality varies with each scanners (as does price).  I try to get the best quality and details I can, and this, generally, means that I will create TIFFs, rather than JPGs. Scanning is a complex topic in itself, so take some time to learn how your scanner works before you head down this rabbit hole.  There are many companies that will do all this tedious work for you.  Again, if you ever want to produce large, high quality images, have them create the files in TIFFs, and expect the cost of the scans to increase in line with your quality demands.

The workflow for my genealogy pictures is the same as my normal family workflow: import into family database; keyword all images; enter all known metadata; apply develop module changes. I save all my images in a single subfolder, inside my “Photos” folder.  This ensures that my regular photo back-ups include the scans.  You wouldn’t want to lose all these files, would you? 

Import your scans as you would any new photos; Lightroom can read TIFFs without a problem.  Once they are imported, I keyword all images.  In the Keyword List, I use the nesting capabilities in Lightroom to identify them as “Family,” then their last name, “Atkins,” and then their full name, “Thomas T. Atkins.” 

Sounds complicated, but you only have to set it up once, and then it becomes one simple click on “Thomas T. Atkins.” Lightroom will add the photo to “Atkins” and “Family” because of the nesting.  In genealogy databases, women are listed by their maiden names, so I include those in the full name keyword as you can see below.  Catherine (McLaulin) Dallman photos were taken after our marriage.  Photos of her before our marriage are listed under “Family”, “McLaulin”, Catherine L. McLaulin. 

The next step is to fill in all the additional facts about the photo in the Metadata section.  You can add a title to the photo if you want one.  I use the caption field to further explain the image or event occurring in the image.  This is important information for family historians because it adds to the information on an individual’s life and lets descendants know more about the experiences of their ancestors.  There is so much more to their history than their birth, marriage, and death dates. The date of the image and locational data  are also key metadata and have their own section.

Now that you have entered all the data, you can do some basic editing in Lightroom.  Most of the images you scan will have problems due to their age: discoloration, scratches, and tears.  Lightroom can handle some of the easy stuff, but you need Photoshop or some other editing tool for the heavy duty lifting of restoration.

Here is an image I received from a relative.  The photo wasn’t square to the edges when it was scanned and has a heavy yellow discoloration with plenty of surface flaws.  Lightroom can fix the tilt and yellowness and the major flaws. 

I’ll clean up the background and bring out more of his suit in Photoshop.  Until then, go find some old photographs and add them to your photo files.  Don’t forget to capture all the information – we’re trying to preserve the data, not create a new, digital shoebox.

We were very fortunate in staying there for 3 nights.  The cruise ships would come in for a few hours and the tourists would flood through the streets and then they would have to ride down the hairpin turns and take the boats back to the ships and get underway.   Of course they make a nice background for the restaurant next door to our hotel.   Everywhere you looked, sculpture and art were out on public display.

Shooting at sunset really requires a tripod, or a wall to get the full range of colors.  It was pretty hazy while we were there and our sunset colors were pretty muted.  I want to apply for the position of official sunset photographer in Santorini. 

The barrel roofed churches provide good structural protection against the many earthquakes that still shake the island.  Often when shooting sunset, just waiting a few minutes can really change the mood of the image as the light changes hue.  Moving a few feet left or right also can help you frame the pictures that you like.  I shot a sequence of 45 pictures in 20 minutes and these two are the ones that spoke to me.   That is an important part of shooting travel shots, always move around, to change the angles and shoot lots of pictures. 

Don’t forget to turn around often.  Sometimes there are great shots where you just walked past.

Well that’s all the light, so the sun will set peacefully on the Aegean Sea.  You don’t have to go that far to capture the light; it’s all around, just take your camera and find it.

During my pre-trip research I had found that there was a Jewish Martyr’s square and an ancient synagogue.  Dr. Francie, one of the wonderful friends I traveled with is Jewish and my father’s family fled Poland just ahead of the Germans, so we both wanted to visit.

Since the 13^th century, through both Christian and Arab occupations, the population in Rhodes had thrived.  Before WWII there were more than 5000 Jews in the city supporting multiple synagogues.  Today there are less than 500 and one remaining historic building.  Down a series of narrow winding arched streets, you come to a simple door to a vanished world. 

 Designated a World Heritage Site and rebuilt through donations, the interior of the building has been gradually restored.  The wall paintings and iron work rebuilt. 

The attached museum lists the names of all the family members who were deported in 1943 and who mostly perished in Auschwitz in 1944. 

 Seeing the artifacts of daily life, the photographs of the families and the documents sentencing them to their deaths,  serve as a potent reminder that this kind of brutality still exists in the world and that we must speak up against it.

The sacred Torah of the synagogue survived the war.  The head rabbi was good friends with the imam of the largest mosque and entrusted him with its safekeeping.  Throughout the war, it was hidden beneath the podium where he pronounced his Friday prayers.

Only 150 people returned to Rhodes after the war.  To return they had to endure further trials and travails.  The caretaker of the synagogue Samuel was 17 when he came home.  His parents, brothers and sisters all gone, his cousins, aunts and uncles and most of his friends perished as well.  Now he serves as a living monument.  He speaks multiple languages and is incredibly warm and engaging as he talks about his journey.

  Look closely at his left arm. 

 The string of numbers crudely tattooed into his flesh should burn in all of us. 

The carved stone in the Martyr’s square is strong but his spirit is far stronger.  

None of us, should ever forget that this could happen to any of us.

Photowalks have been happening for years, but they got more organized in the last few years as advances in the digital camera made photography much easier for everyone.  One of those who helped popularize the movement is Jeff Revell, one of us Northern Virginia boys.  Mark and I have had the pleasure of attending many walks organized by Jeff.  You can find out more about him and read his blog here.  Scott Kelby went along with Jeff, a few years back, and started up this Worldwide Photowalk thing, and it has grown larger every year.  Of course, as with everything Scott, there is the NAPP connection.  And, to add a touch of charity, t-shirt sales (optional) help support the Springs of Hope Orphanage, in Kenya. You need to be in on this one.

Photowalks are free and open to anyone, with any camera.  Beginners and seasoned pros will be there.  I’ve seen 1950s press cameras, 35mm film SLRs, point-and-shoots, camera phones, and modern digital SLRs.  You’ll spend a couple of hours and 1-2 miles of walking with other photographers (each walk is limited to 50).  Everyone shoots whatever they find interesting.  Usually, the ending point is a restaurant where we all meet and look at photos that our walk group took.  

As we’ve discussed in previous discussions of our personal photowalks, the goal is to get out and shoot things that you might not otherwise go after.  This is an excellent time to photograph things that challenge you.  If you need some help, you’ll have 50 friends there for advice.  You can shoot great shots that everyone likes, or be happy with your vision of something different.

So, sign up today, and mark your calendar.  You’ll have a great time; make some new photo connections;  and create some new photographs.  How can you go wrong?