An anniversary photo mosaic from every decade together
A long marriage leaves photographs in a great many albums and attics. Collect them into one picture of the couple, made of the years they have shared.
The wedding photo, or one from this year
The original wedding photograph is the obvious choice and often the best one. Black and white is no obstacle, because the mosaic is built from light and dark. The tiles take on its grey tones, so the finished picture is soft in colour and reads clearly.
The mosaic forms one picture, so a then-and-now pair will not fit. Choose one. If the wedding photo is a full-length shot outside a church, crop it to the couple from the waist up before uploading, or use a recent close portrait.
Asking for the decades, not just photos
Left alone, people send whatever is on their phone, which means the last five years. Ask named people for named years: a sibling for the early days, the eldest child for the 1980s, an old neighbour for the street parties.
Suggested wording for the family chat: "For their 40th we are building their wedding photo out of family pictures. Send one from any year. The older the better. If it is a print, take a photo of it with your phone."
Give the albums time
Start about three weeks ahead. Old prints have to be found, lifted out of albums and photographed, and that takes a weekend people need to plan for. A free page accepts photos for 30 days from the day you make it.
To copy a print, lay it flat near a window, switch the flash off and hold the phone directly above it so the edges are square.
At the dinner
Pass a tablet round the table and let the couple tap through the tiles. Each one opens the full photo with the sender's name, and the old pictures start the stories.
An unlocked page gives you a slideshow for the television and an image file large enough to print and frame for their wall.
The usual mistake
One grandchild uploads the entire family album in an afternoon and the mosaic becomes one person's selection. Share the work out. It also keeps you inside the upload limit, which is 6 photos an hour from one device.
Questions
Can we use a black and white wedding photo as the picture?
Yes. The mosaic follows the light and dark areas of the picture, which a black and white photo has plenty of. The tiles are tinted toward grey to match, so expect a muted, classic look.
How do we add photos that only exist as prints?
Photograph each print with a phone: flat, in daylight, no flash, out of its frame so the glass does not reflect. Then add that phone photo through the link like any other.
Can someone upload on behalf of older relatives?
Yes. Type the relative's name in the name box so the tile carries their name and message, not yours. One device can add 6 photos an hour.
Is it suitable as a surprise for the couple?
Yes. The page can only be opened by people who have the link, and it is hidden from search engines. Tell everyone it is a surprise in the first line of your message.
Free to make and share. No account for you or for the people who add photos.