We're fortunate to have a treasure trove of family photos running back almost 110 years, and now I've launched BoydsNest.org to make many of them available online.

Bill Boyd with his Aunt Betty, around 1938.

Mostly, I think I'll let the photos speak for themselves, which they're more than capable of doing: you can see them all (already nearly 200) at BoydsNest.org.

But I can also add that it's been a delight for my brother and me to pore over these old photos that reveal so many people we know, yet somehow show a different world. It's been a great way to reflect on my own life and identity, studying so many faces with a family resemblance and imagining stories to wrap around each image.

Cedar Campus from a kite, Aug 2002.

Actually, not all the photo albums at BoydsNest.org are family pictures. One album in particular gathers a set of photos I've taken over the years with a camera riding aboard a kite. Kite aerial photography (or KAP, as it's known) can be a bit nerve-wracking when sending up a delicate optical device on a windy day — but the results can be spectacular!

first published Feb 7, 2005