With the growing popularity of family history research, dating old photographs has become an important part of putting together a family tree. Most of the time, these old photos do not identify the subjects, nor are they dated. Using tips provided by photography experts and museum curators, genealogists are able to date old photos, adding to the ancestral information available. 19th and Early 20th Century photo types encountered by Genealogists explains three of the four major types of old photographs that can be dated: Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, and Tintypes. The fourth, Calotypes, were produced during a relatively short period of time; from 1845-1855, and very few remain according to Dating Old Photo's.


Daguerreotypes

Daguerreotypes : explains the process and historical information of the Daguerreotype. Patented in 1939 by the French, these photographs had remarkable clarity, but each plate could produce only one photo.
Camera Clues by Joe Nickell : is a book that explains all types of old photographic techniques and how to identify each by method and by year.
City Gallery : offers explanations of not only the photographic methods, but also the papers used to print each. A simple explanation of how to recognize a Daguerreotype photo is given.
Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes & Cases : has an extensive gallery displaying various types of photographs that can help in identifying old photos.
Old Photo ID : gives information on various types of old photography and how to identify each.


Calotypes

Image - V&A : displays an image of a Calotype and an explanation of the process.
Pencils of Light - National Library of Scotland : is an excellent resource for an overview of the Calotype process and the ways to identify a photograph made with this method. The University of Glasgow has a complete process explanation along with examples of Calotypes at The Calotype Process.


Ambrotypes

Windows on the Past by Diane VanSkiver Gagel : offers an explanation of the Ambrotype process. This method of photography produces only one print. Because that print was made on a piece of glass, the resultant print was fragile and not many remain in existence.
A History of Photography : has an extensive explanation of Ambrotype photography, under the section entitled, "The Ambrotype Process".


Tintypes

A History of Photography, by Robert Leggat: The TINTYPE process, examines all the early photographic methods, and has a good description of the Tintype process.
Dating Old Photo'shas some interesting facts and historical information about Tintypes, as well as tips on how to identify and date them.


Many other places offer information on identification of early photographs, including the following:

Art History Resources: Prints & Photograph is always the best source of information for any art historical topics.
Chapter Two is an excerpt from a Sharlot Organization book that describes the various papers used for printing. This kind of identification can help in dating photographs.
Cycleback Guide to Identifying and Understanding Early Photographs: Introduction has information on the dating of early photos.
Date an Old Photograph photos of different decades, discussion of clothing, references to other databases regarding the various types of early photography.
How to Date Old Family Photographs by the Costume and Jewelry Worn explains another way of identifying a period of time in an old photo.
Northeast Document Conservation Center — Types of Photographs has an easy to use chart to help in identifying various types of early photographs.


As old photos may have been scanned or printed using ink cartridges when dating the old photos, the fashion worn by the subjects, the automobiles or buildings shown in the photos, or from the type of paper used, act as sources for assistance in the identification.

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