How to Create a Provenance Log for Family Photos
By ImgHeal · Updated
Record where each photograph came from and distinguish source facts from later interpretation.
Start with the transfer
Record who supplied the print or file, when you received it, and any existing identifiers. Note whether it is an original capture, a scan, or a derivative. Do not silently replace an uncertain source description with a confident label.
Link supporting material
Connect front and back scans, envelope notes, album positions, and messages that explain the image. Transcribe relevant information into a durable index. Keep the name of the person supplying a claim separate from the claim itself so disagreements remain understandable.
Record subsequent edits
Add the working source identifier, editing date, and a plain description of restoration or colorization. Retain prior versions rather than rewriting the source history. Share an appropriate subset of the log with display copies when private correspondence should remain within the family.
Check before you finish
- Record source and supplier separately.
- Link every edited derivative to its source.
Further reading
- National Archives: Digitizing Family Papers and PhotographsBackground on retaining originals, recording metadata, file naming, and independent backups.
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