How to Retrieve a Photo from a Family Tree Project
By ImgHeal · Updated
A family tree portrait may be a small crop of a larger photograph. Before enhancing it, look for the attached media source and the person who originally supplied the image to the project.
Inspect the media record behind the portrait
Open the photograph's associated record using the genealogy application's supported controls. Check its filename, citation, contributor, and any link to a larger image. A person's profile thumbnail can differ from the full attachment. Record the individual or family record to which the photo is linked, but do not assume that this association proves every person pictured has been correctly identified.
Retrieve the attached file through an authorized export
Use the service or application's documented media download or export option. Check whether a project export includes image files or only references to them. A database file by itself may not contain the attached photographs. Keep the supplied media folder structure and read any export instructions before moving files, because relative paths can connect records to their images.
Compare the attachment with the displayed crop
Open the retrieved image and look for additional people, borders, and writing omitted by the profile view. Check dimensions and real facial detail. If the attachment is still small, contact its contributor for the original scan when possible. Ask about reuse and restoration permission separately from the fact that the image is visible in the family tree.
Carry the citation into the restoration project
Keep the contributor, source record, and known uncertainty with the working copy. Label a restored or colorized version clearly if it is later added back to the tree. Preserve the unedited attachment so other researchers can examine the evidence. A cleaner face should not become the basis for a new identification unless independent family or documentary evidence supports that conclusion.
Before using this source for restoration
- The complete attachment was checked beyond the profile crop.
- The export includes actual images rather than references alone.
- Citation and permission information remain with the project.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
Open ImgHeal