PMA Editorial Bank
Photo Marketing Association International
http://www.pmai.org

(word count 237)
Updating the Family Tree
Everyone enjoys looking at the family tree—finding out who lived when, who married whom, and so on. Think of how much more rewarding a family "photo tree" would be! As a bonus, it makes a terrific family present that will be cherished for generations.
     Start out by hunting up the best photographs you can find of your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Add photos of your own family (including yourself). Then mount all of the photos onto a home-drawn tree, starting with your great grandparents at the bottom and ending up with the children at the top. 
     As an alternative to drawing a photo tree, you can use a multi-image cut-out matte or even a conventional photo album, both available at your local photo dealer.
     If you really want to get fancy, ask your photo lab to scan electronically all of the photos into a single image, called a photomontage. By manipulating the individual images digitally on their computer, they can produce results of amazing clarity and overall quality. Don’t worry about "mixing" different times and generations—the results will look terrific. To dress up your project, have it professionally matted and framed to last a lifetime.
     When you get home, hang the montage in a place of prominence. Have extra copies made to send to friends and relatives. It’s a sure-fire way to endear yourself to anyone interested in your family tree.


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