Hi Reader,

Ever wonder how many family photos are sitting right under your nose? {Hint: It's more than you think!} I'm talking about the ones hiding in places you'd never think to look – not just the obvious photo albums sitting on your shelf.

This week, I updated one of my most popular posts with fresh strategies for 2025. Why does this matter? Every photo you find is a potential puzzle piece for your family tree. The trick is knowing where to look and what to do once you find them.

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📖NEW BLOG POST

FROM DISCOVERY TO FAMILY TREE

As genealogy researchers, we know a lot about our ancestors—where they lived, what they did for a living, even if they broke the law. But what we really want to know is what they looked like. Which side of the family did we take after?

This updated guide covers both online and offline resources that can help you locate photographs of your ancestors—even those you thought were lost forever. From extended family members to orphaned photo websites, these strategies go beyond the obvious places most people look.

You'll learn how to:

• Ask the right relatives (and what questions to pose)
• Search archives and libraries for community photo collections
• Use social media platforms like Flickr for genealogy research
• Track down school yearbooks and church directories

📝 Read the blog post: 9 Proven Ways to Find Old Family Photos [2025 Edition]​

🙂QUICK WIN OF THE WEEK

THE 30-SECOND PHOTO SCAN

Found a mystery photo? Before you file it away as "unknown," spend 30 seconds looking for these research clues:

Look for:

• Written dates or names (even partial ones count)
• Clothing styles that help narrow time periods
• Background details: buildings, cars, signs
• Studio marks or photographer stamps

Even photos with unidentified people can reveal locations, time periods, or family connections. That "random" photo might be the key to your next research breakthrough.

⭐FEATURED RESOURCE

GRAB YOUR FREE "BIG GENIE LIST List"

Wondering if finding your ancestors and building the family tree is even possible? Grab your copy of my FREE "The Big Genie List". It's your go-to list of my favorite genealogy resources. Some you may be familiar with and some will be new! You might just find a new favorite of your own!

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💡FAMILY HISTORY TIP

TURN MYSTERY PHOTOS INTO FAMILY STORIES

Can't identify the people in that old photo? You can still create meaningful family stories around it. Try this approach:

Focus on what you CAN see:

• The setting and time period
• Clothing and social context
• Family traditions or activities shown
• The story of how the photo came to you (**This is a valuable clue!)

Share it with family members as "This photo came from Grandma's collection. We don't know who these people are but look at this amazing [detail]. It shows how families lived in [time period]."

Sometimes the mystery itself becomes part of your family's story (and everyone loves a good mystery!).

🚩 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Ready to find even MORE family photos? Don't overlook historical newspapers - they're packed with ancestor photos you won't find anywhere else.

Watch: 6 Types of Family Photos You Can Find in Historical Newspapers​

In this video, I walk you through where to search and what types of photos to expect - from wedding announcements to business ads featuring your ancestors.

Plus, check out: How To Pull Genealogy Clues From Your Old Family Photographs​

This creates the perfect photo research cycle: find family photos → extract genealogy clues → discover MORE photos in newspapers.

✅RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

PHOTO SCANNING ON-THE-GO

​Photomyne (Free and paid versions available) It's my go-to app, because it's perfect for quickly digitizing found photos without a scanner. The app creates high-quality digital copies you can share with family members immediately. Great for those on-the-go photo discoveries at relatives' houses.

🤔WHEN YOUR FAMILY HISTORY IS STUCK

WORK WITH ME

Ready to take your family research to the next level? I offer one-on-one genealogy consultations where we can tackle your specific brick walls and create a research plan tailored to your family's story.

​Learn more about working together.

Found an interesting photo recently? Hit reply and tell me about it - I love hearing about your discoveries!

To your family's story,

Lisa

Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker