u/GenResearchAddict

(I am sure there have been previous posts about this, but starting a new one to help others who seem to still have difficulty.)

• Using a SOFT brush, carefully remove grass, leaves and debris from the stone, especially if they obscure engravings.
• Carefully trim back, pull, or push back weeds or grass that obscure engravings.
• Be sure not to get your reflection in the stone. On a shiny stone you can stand at a slight angle or back a little bit until your reflection is not in the shot.
• Do not get your feet in the shot.
• Try to take the photo as straight-on as possible. Zoom or stand as close as possible so that the engravings can be read in the picture. Remember that being able to READ the engravings in the photo is very important.
• Sometimes you may need to angle another shot to read the engravings if there are flowers or objects in the way.
• There are different times of day that are best for different stones or cemeteries. It is best to take photos when the stone is not in a shadow from the sun position.
• Stay steady. Blurry pictures are useless. If you are not sure that a picture was clear, take another or a few and choose the best to upload later.
• Do not get your shadow in the shot. (great add from OnTheOutside)
• Be sure to take a photo of any extra engravings on the stone, such as military notations, maiden names, etc. on the bottom ledge. You may also find additional people noted on engravings near the bottom or sides of a stone.

There are TONS of other tips. I am sure others have some tips to add.

People volunteer for Find A Grave for many reasons and in many different ways. Every memorial is helpful for family and researchers. Please be kind to each other, and do not judge others for how many memorials they create or how you think they should contribute, etc.

Some create a few memorials for their own family. That is great!

Some casually do a few pictures in a cemetery as they have time, perhaps only fulfilling requests. That is great!

Some mow the rows in cemeteries very often, adding thousands of photos. That is great!

Some go into cemeteries to add GPS, or record the burials on FG. That is great!

Some can not get out to cemeteries, so they look for on-line resources such as obituaries etc., adding memorials. Either occasionally or by the thousands... That is great!

Some like to research the details for memorials, using their skills as researchers or genealogists... or just because they can. That is great!

Some accumulate thousands of memorials over the years by any combination of the above.

Just because someone has many thousands of memorials should not subject them to ridicule or being called "hoarders". We should be THANKING them for their contributions!

We should all be HELPING each other. We can answer questions. We can give advice - kindly and not judgmentally. But it is never ok to put others down or be unkind just because they do not contribute in the way that we think they should.

Find A Grave only works due to the contributions of volunteers.

https://preview.redd.it/1hfy20913b8h1.png?width=1255&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a2a6d1a2a39b75bbe1623bbc77d3298731b50e0

I received the above thank you from someone for finding and photographing her father's grave. We don't do this for the thanks. But it is sure is a good feeling to know that we make a difference!

Keep up the good work everyone!