TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION
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"Our Loose Ends" Genealogy Column
by Lynna Kay Shuffield
Houston, Texas

Over the years, I have developed several techniques that work for me and give good quality results. They may not work for your or address your specific situation or problem.

While the following photographs are in COLOR, remember the Texas Historical Commission only accepts BLACK & WHITE photographs with the application for “Texas Historic Cemetery Designation.”

FIRST: I use two (2) yardsticks so as to give a gage on the actual size of the gravemarker. Using the yardsticks gives the viewer of the photograph a better indication of the size and proportion of the gravemarker. Remember, the photograph may become separated from the datasheet information.

See the following example:

SECOND: If the sun is behind me causing a shadow to be cast across the face of the gravemarker, I take an umbrella and hold it behind me to cast a full shadow across the gravemarker.

See the following examples:

THIRD: Center the gravemarker in the camera viewer or else you will have a decapitated gravemarker!

See the following example:

FOURTH: Working with broken gravemarkers calls for extra care to be taken. The following example shows how this gravemarker was broken into two pieces and the hand at the top shows how the pieces are being held together for the benefit of the photograph.

See the following example: