How to Photograph Ancestral Halls for Inclusion in Genealogy Records

Obtain Photography Permission and Record the Location

When visiting, confirm which spaces and objects may be photographed, and explain the purpose and whether the images will be made public. Record the building’s current name, the village where it is located, the photography date, and on-site directions; if different local names exist, write each one down. Do not treat names on online maps as historical names without verification.

Photograph in the Order of Overview, Location, and Detail

First photograph the building and its surroundings, then the location of the gatehouse or plaque within the building, and finally close-ups of the text. Every detail image should correspond to a location image. Keep the lens as parallel as possible to the plane of the text, and check for reflections and obstructions; take additional shots from different angles when necessary, but do not move spirit tablets or touch stone inscriptions.

Photograph Long Steles in Sections, Retaining Overlap

When there is a large amount of text, first photograph the entire stele, then photograph it in sections in row-and-column order, retaining overlapping areas between adjacent images. File names may follow the format “location number-object number-overview or section sequence number.” When organizing the material, first transcribe the text as seen, and mark damaged, worn, and illegible sections; do not fill in the main text based on the title.

Keep On-Site Oral Accounts Separate from Text on Physical Objects

An account from a caretaker can help clarify the history of repairs and use, but record the speaker, interview date, and source of the information. Create separate records for plaque inscriptions, stele texts, and oral accounts; when different dates are found, retain the discrepancy. The building’s current condition alone cannot prove that all components survive from the original construction period.

Check Image Captions and Sources Before Including Images in the Genealogy

For every image included in the genealogy, clearly state the subject, location, photographer, date, and reference number. Place the textual reading beside the image so that readers can check it against the original. Store sensitive photographs or those without permission for public release in an internal directory; for the public edition, use images whose use is permitted, avoiding the loss of evidentiary context in pursuit of visual impact alone.

Continue Research and Organization

• Create an Image Records Directory
• Prepress Check for Genealogy Images