Who, Where, When, and Why? Forensic Analysis of Old Photographs

An unidentified photograph can offer a frustrating puzzle for historians. Who (or what) was the subject? Where, when, and why was it taken? Sometimes, one or more of these questions is easily answered, and moving from the known we can often identify the unknown. Frequently though we use imprecise methods supported by vague assumptions and so reach uncertain identifications. This article looks at some potentially more precise ways of making key identifications in a photograph. Given the complexity of the subject, only an indication of what can be done is possible here but there is much material out there for further study should the reader feel inclined. See the end of this article for recommendations.