Frequently Asked Questions
How long do projects typically take?
There’s considerable variability, from a few hours for some photo restorations to up to a year for a combined package of research, digital restoration and archiving, and a custom book. Most projects take a few weeks or months.
How do you manage working with multiple family members on a single project?
It’s wonderful when a whole family is invested in a meaningful family history project, and it can be fun to work as a team. Our initial consultation can include as few or as many family members as you wish. If you decide to work with me, I then ask you to designate one trusted spokesperson to represent the group. That helps me to work as efficiently as possible so that the only time you pay for is the time I spend working toward a finished product that meets or exceeds your expectations.
How will you protect my family’s privacy?
Your photos and documents are your personal property and your project is for you and whomever you choose to share it with—no one else. Privacy protections are built into my equipment and my work process. I may ask to share your project, or a portion of it, with another client as an example of my services. In those cases I get the written permission of all family members involved in your project.
How far do you travel for research that can’t be done online?
I’m located in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few blocks away from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Library Company of Philadelphia, two historical archives with exceptionally robust genealogical resources. I also travel within a 50-mile radius to small historical societies that dot the region and preserve the history of the Greater Philadelphia region.
I’m available to travel for a fee to New York City and Washington, D.C, where additional resources abound.
Can you digitize slides and negatives?
Absolutely, though I outsource large-volume projects to a local professional studio.
What about my home movies?
I work with a professional studio that has the equipment to digitize your home movies. I am happy to refer you if this is the only service you’ll require. If the digitization is part of a project I’ve been hired to work on, I will have the work completed and presented to you as part of the complete project.
Can you make a website instead of a book, or in addition?
Although I do not design and create websites, I am happy to help you select photos, prepare text, and create assets such as maps or infographics so that a designer of your choice has all the material they need to build your site.