The Photo Detective

Latest Episodes:

The Photo Marketplace Shift: What It Means for Your Memories Mar 02, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Rick Voigt, co-founder and CEO of Vivid-Pix.com, joins Maureen Taylor to discuss the evolving photo marketplace and its impact on genealogists and everyday users. They explore the recent shutdown of FileShadow, the risks of relying on digital storage providers, and the importance of backing up precious memories. Rick shares insights from his 40-year experience in the photo industry, including lessons from Kodak and Polaroid’s shifts. They emphasize best practices for preserving digital and physical photographs, ensuring long-term access to family history. Plus, they highlight tools like Vivid-Pix for enhancing and organizing images effectively.

FileShadow Shutdown: Why its closure is a wake-up call for photo storage users.
Backup Strategies: The importance of maintaining at least three backups (local, external, cloud).
Industry Lessons: How Kodak, Polaroid, and digital platforms shape the photo marketplace.
Preserving Memories: Best practices for safeguarding digital and printed photos.
Vivid-Pix Tools: How software can enhance and annotate historical images.

Related Episodes:

Episode 192: Photo Reminiscence Therapy and Family Photos with Rick Voight of Vivid-Pix.com

Links:

Vivid-Pix Restore
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

With a few decades of doer and executive experience with Kodak and HP, Rick Voight and Randy Fredlund co-founded Vivid-Pix. Vivid-Pix designs, creates, and delivers fast, easy and affordable photo and document improvement software. Since launching in 2012, Vivid-Pix has advanced its product to earn the support of family historians, genealogists, photographers, and business leaders in over 100 countries.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective® helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

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Digging Into Civil War Pension Files with Brian Rhinehart Feb 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Photo Detective, host Maureen Taylor speaks with Brian Rhinehart, founder of CivilWarRecords.com, about uncovering lost Civil War history through archival research. Brian shares his journey from genealogy hobbyist to professional researcher specializing in Civil War records at the National Archives. He explains the misconceptions about military records, emphasizing that most are not available online. They discuss the rich details found in pension files, including personal letters, affidavits, and service histories, as well as the rare chance of finding soldier photographs. Brian also provides insights on tracking elusive ancestors through military, pension, and bounty records. If you’re struggling with your Civil War research, Brian’s expertise can help you find those missing pieces.

Related Episodes:

Episode 245: The Enduring Legacy of Tintypes: From Civil War Soldiers to Contemporary Artists

Episode 60: Finding Pictures of Your Civil War Ancestors

Links:

Civil War Records.com
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Brian Rhinehart is a professional genealogist and speaker and is the owner of CivilWarRecords.com. He is a graduate of Boston University’s Certificate of Genealogy Research and is a regular researcher for the television show Finding Your Roots. A direct descendant of eight Civil War soldiers, Brian specializes in research and record retrieval for Civil War and War of 1812 soldiers at the National Archives in Washington DC and has retrieved military files for hundreds of clients there.

About Maureen Taylor:
Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective® helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Exploring Project Kin: Barbara Tien's Community for Storytellers and Genealogists Feb 02, 2025

Show notes

Barbara Tien discusses her role as the “ringleader” of Project Kin on the Photo Detective podcast. After her startup, Ponga, shut down, Tien decided to keep her team together and transitioned to creating Project Kin, a community focused on storytelling and family history without any financial gain. She emphasizes the platform’s global reach, privacy importance, and its emphasis on story preservation and sharing. The platform is built on a foundation of helping members tell their own family stories, with tools and support provided for free. Tien also touches on her previous use of Substack to enhance community engagement.

Project Kin fosters a community centered on storytelling and family history.
It’s a non-profit initiative with a global outreach, particularly across English-speaking countries.
Tien emphasizes privacy and the preservation of family stories in digital and physical forms.
Project Kin offers regular events and resources to help members document and share their stories effectively.

Related Episodes:

Episode 237: How Storied.com Transforms Family HIstory into Captivating Stories

Episode 240: The Hidden Stories of Tattooing: Dr. Matt Lodder on Tattoos in Photography and Society

Links:

ProjectKin on Substack.com
The Lafayette Project
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Barbara is the “ringleader” at Projectkin, a community of family historians hooked on stories. After a career in technology startups, she turned her long-time love of family history into a free, platform-independent community that encourages families to tell their stories. Through free events, tools, and articles, community members share creative inspiration, tips, and proven “recipes” for storytelling projects.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Fileshadow News. Photos of Famous People. Photo Detecting Clues Jan 26, 2025

Show notes

In this January 2025 solo episode of her podcast, Maureen Taylor, the photo detective, shares news for users of Fileshadow.com. She also shares insights into her professional life, detailing her expertise in analyzing historical photographs to assist in dating them and incorporating them into family histories. She discusses a recent project involving a photograph from Providence, and how she used various historical resources to accurately date it, along with providing updates on the photo marketplace and tips for digital photo management.

Maureen Taylor works with clients to help integrate historical photographs into their family histories, keeping up-to-date with the photo marketplace and new technologies.
Discusses a case study involving a photograph of Market Square in Providence, using city directories and newspapers to date it to between 1845 and 1846.
Notes the suspension of the digital photo organizer website Fileshadow, highlighting the importance of maintaining current contact information for digital services.
Previews an upcoming podcast episode with Rick Voight about changes in the photo marketplace, including tips for managing and backing up digital photos.
Shares insights from her consultative work with clients and students on various historical and photographic research projects.

Related Episodes:

Episode 254: Solving Family Photo Mysteries: A Journey with The Photo Detective

Episode 251: Through the Lens: Unveiling Family Stories

Links:

Winslow Homer painting
Civil War era backdrops
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveTM helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Seth Rockman on Plantation Goods: Unveiling Material History of American Slavery Jan 12, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of The Photo Detective, I’m joined by Seth Rockman, author of Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery. Seth’s groundbreaking research uncovers the economic and material ties that connected New England industries to the Southern plantation economy in the 19th century. From the labor of Rhode Island seamstresses to the cotton fields of Mississippi, his work reveals the intricate networks of production and exploitation that defined this era. Join us as we explore the stories of everyday objects and the lives they shaped across America’s divided landscape.

New England’s Role in Plantation Economy: Exploring the economic links between Northern industry and Southern slavery.
Material History Insights: How objects like wool pants and shoes reveal hidden narratives of exploitation and labor.
Local and Global Perspectives: The intersection of Rhode Island industry with global commodity markets.
Impact on Modern Ethical Dilemmas: Connecting 19th-century consumer choices to contemporary concerns like fair trade and sustainable labor.
Rich Archival Discoveries: The pivotal role of family records and company account books in reconstructing forgotten histories.

Related Episodes:

Episode 220: Dress Codes and Fashion Rules Through History with Richard Thompson Ford

Episode 195: Imperfect History with Curator Sarah Weatherwax

Links:

Seth Rockman
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Seth Rockman is an associate professor of history at Brown University. He is the author of Scraping By: Wage Labor, Slavery, and Survival in Early Baltimore and coeditor of Slavery’s Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development. Rockman serves on the faculty advisory board of Brown University’s Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveTM, helps clients with photo-related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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The Power of Knitting: History, Healing, and Resilience in Loretta Napoleoni's Book Jan 05, 2025

Show notes

Loretta Napoleoni’s The Power of Knitting explores the universal significance of knitting through history, culture, and personal memoir. An economist by profession, Napoleoni combines research with heartfelt reflections, revealing knitting’s historical roles in revolutions, spycraft, and resilience. She highlights its meditative, brain-stimulating effects, debunks its dismissal as a mere domestic craft, and celebrates its community-building power. Her engaging book resonates with seasoned knitters, historians, and curious readers alike, redefining the craft’s place in our lives.

Explores knitting’s roles from ancient Egypt to modern revolutions, including its political and cultural impact.
Highlights the therapeutic and cognitive benefits of knitting, akin to yoga for the brain.
Shares compelling stories of knitting’s use in espionage and personal healing during crises.
Examines knitting as a proletariat craft and its evolution in social perception.
Combines memoir, history, and science to showcase knitting’s role in survival and creativity.

Episode 240: The Hidden Stories of Tattooing: Dr. Matt Lodder on Tattoos in Photography and Society

Links:

Loretta Napoleoni
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:
Loretta Napoleoni is the bestselling author of Maonomics, Rogue Economics, Terror Incorporated and Insurgent Iraq. She is an expert on terrorist financing and money laundering, and advises several governments and international organizations on counter-terrorism and money laundering. As Chairman of the countering terrorism financing group for the Club de Madrid, Napoleoni brought heads of state from around the world together to create a new strategy for combating the financing of terror networks. Napoleoni is a regular media commentator for CNN, Sky and the BBC.

About Maureen Taylor:
Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo-related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Solving Family Photo Mysteries: A Journey with The Photo Detective Dec 22, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to the December 2024 solo episode of The Photo Detective with Maureen Taylor. In this episode, Maureen shares the story of Amy Barlow, who solved a photo mystery with Maureen’s guidance during a consultation. Amy’s photograph depicted a family standing in front of a store. Using resources like eBay, WorthPoint, city directories, Sanborn maps, and more, Amy unraveled the store’s history and connection to her family. Maureen highlights the personalized and collaborative nature of her consultations, where she provides guidance, homework, and insights into the historical, genealogical, and material contexts of family photographs. Maureen’s expertise bridges the gap between photos and family histories, from dating tintypes to identifying family snapshots. This episode is a reminder of the power of pictures in preserving and uncovering our personal pasts.

Related Episodes:

Episode 245 : The Enduring Legacy of Tintypes: From Civil War Soldiers to Contemporary Artists

Episode 248: Genealogy Travel Tips: How to Plan an Effective Ancestral Research Trip

Links:

Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About Maureen Taylor:

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Support the show

Preserving Everyday History: Kiki Smith's Journey with the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection Dec 08, 2024

Show notes

Kiki Smith, a professor from the theater department at Smith College, joins the “Photo Detective” podcast to discuss her unique journey with the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection. Initially joining the department temporarily, Smith found herself organizing a chaotic costume storage area into a vital educational and research resource. Her book “Real Clothes, Real Lives” documents 200 years of women’s everyday attire using items from this collection. With a focus on ordinary garments rather than high fashion, Smith emphasizes the stories and social history these clothes tell. Her efforts have transformed the collection into a recognized academic and historical resource, gaining attention for its unique focus and prompting further institutional support.

Her book, “Real Clothes, Real Lives,” explores 200 years of women’s attire, focusing on garments from everyday life.
Smith’s work highlights the importance of preserving ordinary clothing for educational and historical insights.
The collection started modestly but grew through contributions and Smith’s persistent efforts to catalog and display the items.
There is currently an exhibit of clothing from the collection at New York Historical

Related Episodes:

Episode 181: Clothing Care at the New Canaan Historical Society

Episode 135: Stitch by Stitch: Saving Historic Clothing a Piece at a Time with Conservator Maria Vasquez

Links:

Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:
Kiki Smith is the Director of the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection that was founded 42 years ago by a student and is based there in the basement of the Theatre Building near the Costume Shop. The collection now numbers over 4000 pieces. Her book Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore (Rizzoli), published this September, documents garments and accessories that are what she calls “real” clothes worn by “real” women for all aspects of their lives.

She is also a professional costume and set designer, working with theatre companies including Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Ma and the Talking Band in New York, and received an Obie Award for a production with that company.

About Maureen Taylor:

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Author Paul Frecker Discusses Cartomania: The Intersection of Photography and Fame Dec 01, 2024

Show notes

In this podcast episode, we are thrilled to have Paul Frecker, an expert on 19th-century photography and the author of Cartomania: Photography and Celebrity in the 19th Century. Paul brings a unique perspective from his days as a dealer specializing in 19th-century photography, focusing on the intriguing format of Carte de Visite. His journey from collector to author reveals the passion and dedication that culminated in his comprehensive book. Paul discusses how Carte de Visite captured images and shaped celebrity culture and social norms of the era. The episode delves into the historical and cultural significance of these photographic artifacts, providing listeners with a fascinating look into the past through the lens of today.

Key Points Covered:

The origin and cultural impact of Carte de Visite.
The technological advancements in photography during the 19th century.
The role of celebrity culture in popularizing Carte de Visite.
Paul Frecker’s personal journey from collector to author.
The legacy and historical value of Carte de Visite in modern times.

Related Episodes:

Episode 222: Discovering the World Through Lenses: Dr. Michael Pritchard and the History of Photography

Episode 217: Collecting Photography with Greg French of Greg French Early Photography

Links:

Paul Frecker
Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:
Paul Frecker is a British dealer in vintage photographs who specializes in cartes de visite. He is also a collector and a photo-historian; his book Cartomania: Photography & Celebrity in the Nineteenth Century, published earlier this year, was hailed as the definitive text on the subject for a generation to come.

About Maureen Taylor:
Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective TM helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Support the show

Through the Lens: Unveiling Family Stories Nov 24, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective TM explores the power of a photo through a series of case studies. She introduces a new photo storytelling option for clients.

The Power of a Photo
Decoding the Context
The Emotional Landscape
Integrating Technology
Case Study: Putting it into Practice.

Related Episodes:

Episode 237: How Storied.com Transforms Family History into Captivating Stories

Episode 185 Genealogy on TikTok with Gwyneth.Stories

Links:

Sign up for my newsletter.
Watch my YouTube Channel.
Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo-related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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