Identifying a Historical Photo: Finding a Needle in a Haystack

Is it even a hard problem to solve?

The runtimes of many spy movies and novels (yes, we’re looking at you, Dan Brown) would have been drastically reduced if identifying artifacts, including photos and artworks, were as simple as a Google search. To understand the complexities of historical photo identification, let us break down the different facets of the process.

Investigating historical photos is analogous to finding a needle in a haystack.

1. Analyze visual clues in the photo: Are there clues in the photo that can give us a starting point for our investigation? For example, could the attire give us a sense of the time period or geographical region? Are there any unique elements that suggest a particular location? Perhaps there are signed inscriptions, providing a lead?
   
2. Domain expertise: Just like a detective needs knowledge of forensics, an investigator of historical photos must understand the nuances of the time periods they’re studying. This could include knowledge of fashion trends, military uniforms, history, architectural styles, or even popular photography techniques of the era. This expertise helps in making informed guesses and eliminating unlikely possibilities.
   
3. Reference database: Once you figure out the starting point of your investigation, you would need access to a comprehensive database of photos and additional resources in order to triangulate available evidence. However, historical photos are often dispersed among numerous private collections or within the digital archives of GLAM institutions, and a significant number may not yet be digitized.
   
4. Manual comparison: Now that you got hold of a relevant pool of images for examination, you will have to sift through hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of low-resolution images, carefully comparing each one to your mystery photo. If you are lucky, you may find a match! It’s also worth noting that the process is not without its challenges, as confirmation bias and fatigue can potentially impact your judgment during the manual comparison stage.
   
5. Triangulate evidence: In the grand jigsaw of historical photo investigation, facial comparison is an important piece, but it’s not the triumphant slam dunk that seals the game! You may want to weigh in additional evidence (i.e., provenance, letters, service records, etc.) before finalizing the photo’s identity.

Learn more about Photo Sleuth addresses these challenges!

interesting reads

(I will be populating this list over time)

1. Kurt Luther’s photo investigation adventures in Military Images
2. Mystery of 60-year-old Alaska tourist photos is solved (CNN)
3. She Was the Only Woman in a Photo of 38 Scientists, and Now She’s Been Identified (NYT)