Use sites like DearPhotograph to tell stories with old photos.

At VoiceQuilt, we’re avid about storytelling and family history. Of course, we’re biased towards the voice-based kind: we believe that voice-based toasts, tributes and favorite memories convey emotion, presence and depth in ways that words, images and even video communication cannot.

That said, we’re always on the lookout for new ways to share and preserve family stories. With that in mind, we asked Maureen Taylor, the nation’s foremost historical photo detective, about her favorite new sites covering old pictures, family history and photo storytelling. Here was her response.

Photo storytelling is easy peasy. All you need is a photo, some details and a place to post it. It’s also free and fun.

Take Historypin.com for instance. “Pin” your family old pictures or video on this site to interact with photos of places around the globe. Then tell their millions of followers a bit about the old picture. Before you know it you’ll be sharing your shoebox of memories. Tour the world in 15 hats, look at a collection of San Francisco Earthquake photos, or view a single picture.

Time travel is real. Overlay your historical picture on a contemporary one on DearPhotograph.com. Then add your thoughts in a diary-like entry using “Dear Photograph.” Incredibly poignant…

Don’t underestimate the power of a single image. You’ll be mesmerized by the family history stories on Cowbird.com. Listen to the family history behind this old picture of “Sarah” for instance. A picture or photo can represent a whole life. Try it and see.

Go ahead and laugh. While the images on AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com weren’t meant to be humorous, they are. Family portraits don’t always turn out the way you hope and time can blur the meaning of those fashion trends.

And by the way….Have a historical picture and don’t know much about it? My site covers everything from tiny bonnets to contemporary snapshots in books and blogs. Check it out here.