Gary Clark - Writer, Genealogist, Photographer

03/06/2026

Have you ever wondered how your Grandmother looked when she was 19? This is a photo of one of mine, probably late summer 1917. Luckily, I inherited a bunch of negatives. Scanned it at a really high resolution (2400 DPI), then processed it through Gemini 3.1. The original is not that great, as you can see, but AI brought out its beauty while keeping the image true. She looks lovely.

She is probably holding her firstborn, though it was not documented. My mother was the secondborn. This was on a farm in Kansas. Dig out those old negatives and bad photos; they can have a new and beautiful life.

Here is the prompt I used: "Paint this image in the Americana style, keep original faces, clothes, and background. Sharpen image."

02/20/2026

Here is a cherished 1890s cabinet card photograph of a great-grandfather (on the right) in Sumner Co., KS. It was not a particularly challenging restoration; Photoshop could have handled it. However, it still would have taken some time to patch the missing part and get the color/contrast right. AI came to the rescue.

Gemini 3.0 accomplished it in about 30 seconds with this simple prompt: "Restore photo, create missing pieces on left, increase contrast". See many more examples in the galleries on my website: www.phototree.com

02/12/2026

AI programs can breathe fresh life into old family photos by ‘painting’ existing photos in artistic styles of master artists. Here is a portrait of my maternal grandparents around 1940 with an artistic style applied.

Using ChatGPT, I entered into the ‘Ask Anything’ prompt: “ Paint in the style of Gilbert Stuart, keep original faces”. ChatGPT is notorious for substituting faces, I always include the command to keep original faces, though sometimes it ignores it.

Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) is most famous for painting George Washington (look at a one-dollar bill).

See www.PhotoTree.com for many AI examples of painting like this, pencil sketches, and restoration, along with their prompts.

02/05/2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has stormed the photographic landscape.

Februrary 2026 — Phototree has used early AI routines for a couple years, however recent improvements and availability and fantastic capabilities have prompted greater use. So, we have embraced AI—when appropriate—to restore and preserve treasured photographs, images, and documents.

Check out the website for tutorials, examples, and galleries for photo restoration and artistic treatments such painting and sketches of old photos: www.phototree.com

Also, download from the website our recent "Guide to AI Prompts for Image Edits", a two-page PDF that helps you understand and create productive prompts.

02/05/2026

After 30 years of research (off and on) and two solid years of writing, I recently completed and released a 300-page book of the history of my Clark lineage: "Ulster to Kansas, A 400 Year Journey". Beginning in the early 1600s.

It follows my family from Ulster (then part of Ireland) to Sumner County, Kansas in the 20th century. Written in the style of a historical novel, the story covers countless challenges, wars, homesteads, and raising families on the frontiers of the U.S. Preview available on my website: www.phototree.com

The book features almost 300 images, including photographs, maps, and documents. I strove to meet the challenge of a recent genealogy quote: "Make sure your work lasts longer than you"

05/26/2017

Capture memorable images as you honor those who came before us. See how to photograph gravestones in poor lighting, those difficult to read, and tips to documenting the grave and cemetery to preserve your history. Get the Kindle version for immediate use this Memorial Day weekend. www.phototree.com

Provides vintage photograph restoration, books, and photo dating tips to genealogists and historians.

05/24/2017

The Gibson Girl faced social, political, and professional challenges over 100 years ago. – frightening parallels with today’s scene. See how she handled them. A new book by Gary W. Clark. http://garywclark.com

Gary W. Clark Biography and Books

05/10/2017

World War I History – Draft approved April 29, 1917 by congress.

05/10/2017

The Gibson Girl faced social, political, and professional challenges over 100 years ago. – frightening parallels with today’s scene. See how she handled them. A new book by Gary W. Clark. http://garywclark.com

Lessons From The Gibson Girl - Her Quest for Equality, Justice, and Love

05/08/2017

New book on identifying people in early 20th century photographs. A must-have for every genealogist and family historian's library. http://garywclark.com/book_20th.htm

A Step-by-Step Guide to Dating Early 20th Century Photographs

04/03/2017

April 4th – 100th Anniversary of the United States entrance into 'The Great War", later known as World War I when we started numbering them.