The Purpose & Power of  Preserving Legacy Through Art

Determining the Value of a Photo

Every photograph carries a piece of history, but not every image speaks with the same power. The first step to preserving legacy through art is to assess the value of a photo—not just its physical state, but what emotional weight does it carry? Is it a special story? And does the photo capture a significant  story that’s valuable to you and/or your family’s history?

Assessment is an act of care. It invites us to pause and ask: What does this photo represent? Whose story is it telling? Does it mark a milestone, a tradition, or a chapter of history that deserves to live on? In this step, we look beyond fading ink and fragile paper to uncover the specialmemories that matter most.

Sometimes, the photos chosen for preservation really surprise us. I can relate to this. Almost ten years ago my brother and I found a photo that we hadn’t seen for decades. It was the only photo that we could remember taking of our four generation family. It was well kept in a box, upstairs on our grandparents back room just outside the bedroom looking over our hugh backyard. We actually found many other photos, but this one carried the most sentimental value. In the photo was our great-grandmother, our grandparents, parents, and my brother and I. The emotional tie that we had was just finding and capturing those moments… it was truly the highlight of that day when we would revisit those special memories. And we learned there were so many stories just in that one photo. As an example my grandfather was one of the first african americans to participate in a training to be certified as a printer to print money at the Bureau Engraving in Washington D.C.  And my grandmother served for several years as president of the War Mothers organization, also in D.C., for mothers whose sons were not only in the military, but fought in the war. Her son, which is my dad was deployed to Vietnam in 1968, which is another piece of my family history and legacy stories…again all from one photo. 

I’m truly proud of their accomplishments, their miletones, and the significant stories of my family’s history. And there’s so much more. As a photographic artist I truly cherish learning about the legacy stories of my family  and creating art from the photos by bringing them back to life which helps to enhance the storytelling. And guess what…the photos that capture your special stories do not have to be super serious. For example your special memory  could be your children laughing and playing on the front porch, or grandpa and his grandson fishing together for the first time.  Of course weddings, anniversaries and birthdays are special occasions to a family’s history, heritage and even culture, but let’s not forget about the beauty of the simple things in life.  Each image has a voice, but in the assessment stage we listen closely to discover which ones are significant, valuable to you and speak the loudest to the heart of legacy.

Too often, the photos that matter most are hidden away in boxes, albums, or in attics—slowly fading, curling, or crumbling away. If no attention is given, these irreplaceable memories can quietly fade away, taking with them the faces, stories, and history they hold. Keep in mind that photos don’t last forever—especially if left unattended, because they will eventually deterioate and fade away.  Remember your special photos are your special stories that capture your significant history, heritage, culture and even legacy…so continue to share your stories, preserve them and pass them on for generations to come, because if you don’t my question to you is…WHO WILL?

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