Have you ever stumbled across a box of vintage photos at a flea market or antique shop and wondered, “Who were these people? What kinds of lives did they live? What were their stories?” Well, we have too! That’s why we think you’ll love these two projects featuring found photos that will inspire you to gather your family stories before it’s too late!

1. Found Photos Magazine

This project is a fascinating blend of vintage photos and creative writing. If every photograph is worth a thousand words, then these found photos speak volumes. Although the people pictured in these unique images are anonymous, the team at Found Photos Magazine encourages writers to think about possible histories, scenes and stories. That’s what makes the project so intriguing; each old photo sparks our imagination.

The team behind the project is insightful and shares these wise words on their site:

“In the last decade, as the photographic world has shifted from film to digital and photographs have sold for record prices at auctions, collectors and curators alike have begun to embrace the vernacular photograph. Everyday moments at home and exotic travels abroad, pictures of smiling couples and children at play, these are memories and milestones created by people whose identities will forever remain a mystery to us. The evaluation, study, and appreciation of vernacular photography can be an intriguing and meaningful activity. We know next to nothing about the people in these images or the context in which they were created; it’s this anonymity that gives found photos such a mysterious and alluring air. They excite our imaginations with the secrets they’ll never give up.”

Here’s a sample of one of the spreads from their beautiful magazine. It’s worth checking out because it will inspire you to gather stories from your own old family photos.

2. Obscura Los Angeles

Found photos are like fine art. In fact, collectors and curators from around the world are recognizing the value of found photographs. Some specific photos stand out as shining gems in a vast sea. The Obscura Los Angeles project aims to share such images with the world, curated beautifully by theme.

The themes of these lovely vintage photographs range from athletics to aviation to music. The large collection includes some funny family photos and artistic snapshots. They all seem timeless. When you see them, you’ll feel like you stepped back into another era. They are magical and they inspire us as much as photographs in a brick-and-mortar museum. Check them out and immerse yourself in imagery that will inspire you to collect your own vintage photographs!

As both of these brilliant photography projects prove, vintage photos are valuable. Maybe they’re actually priceless? If that’s true, then all of us should be considering how we can gather our own family photos and stories before it’s too late.

By Rachel LaCour Niesen, Steward of Stories & Founder of SaveFamilyPhotos.

Rachel is a Yankee by birth but a Southern storyteller at heart. When a much-loved uncle gifted her with her first SLR camera, Rachel found her calling in photography. In pursuit of her passion, she headed to the University of Missouri, where she studied Photojournalism and Art History. Since then her work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times Magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle. Along with her business partners, she founded LaCour, a wedding photography studio based in Atlanta. As LaCour grew, the team co-founded ShootQ, a cloud-based business management application for photographers. In 2010, ShootQ was acquired by Pictage. When she’s not curating old family photos, she enjoys adventures with her husband and partner in entrepreneurship, Andrew Niesen.