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I'm trying to find August Charles Sidney KELLER in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census. (I have him in the 1940.)

He was born in Sydney, Australia on 4 Feb 1883 (birth registered as "August Sydney KELLER". He married Mary A POWER in Sydney in 1906 and later that year worked his way over to San Francisco. Mary joined him some time later around 1911.

He started using the name  "Charles" in the US - I have his draft registration for WW1 and WW2 (which also changes his year of birth to 1884). He was a painter (ships, and later buildings). I have also seen voter registrations for Charles and Mary, so definitely in San Francisco - at least for the 1930. Mary's passport application says they have been living continuously in San Francisco between 1911 and 1921.

Charles died on 7 August 1953.

Can anyone find him the earlier censuses? (There is a possibility in 1920 of a Carles and Mary KELLER, Mary born Australia, however Carles, engineer, says born England, with parents born Ireland. However "my" Charles had parents born in Germany.)

Many thanks in advance.

I have a marriage for Frederick KELLER to Mary TAYLOR on 14 Jan 1903 at Woolloomooloo. I know quite a bit about Frederick - his is a quite complicated history that I can explain if needed.

However I am trying to find out more about his wife Mary, later called Marion. On the marriage certificate it has her parents as William TAYLOR (settler) and Madeline BRUNNER. She says she is 21, spinster, born in Bundaberg, Qld and living in College St. She signs.  Witnesses are Samuel McREAVIE and Sarah MACDONALD.

I haven't been able to find a birth registration for her in Qld, or any trace of her parents in Qld (though William TAYLOR is a common name).

At the baptism of their second child, Clement, (18 Nov 1908) father Frederick has gone to America (the family join him soon after). On the baptism register there is a note that Marion is living with her mother "Mrs TAYLOR" at 53 Gerard St (Alexandria I think), so at least her mother has moved to Sydney.

There is an advertisement on trove (8 Aug 1910) for a plasterer for "Taylor, 45 Gerard St" which may or may not be them.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15197883  (pg11 2nd column from the right, middle)

I have followed the family in San Francisco. Their daughter Hilda (born 1905, Newtown) dies in 1913, and Frederick dies 1925. I have Marion in the 1930 census where she says she and both her parents were born in Australia (though in 1910 and 1920 she says her father was born in England). I haven't been able to find a death for Marion, or on the 1940 census.

Any help in finding Mary or her parents would be most appreciated.

My son, who knows my genealogy and research obsessions, suggested I watch these videos. I really enjoyed them - very entertaining and great excursions into researching a name. I very much related to the researching an interesting tangent that ends up not really helping your proposition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LMr5XTgeyI ("The Tale of Tiffany")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEV9qoup2mQ ("Someone Dead Ruined My Life ... Again")

Can anyone please give me some advice in the best way to scan a photograph that is printed on quite textured paper? When I scan in the usual way the texture seems to cast shadows.

Or is the best way to improve the photo only after scanning by some of your "magic"?

Here is a snip of the photo in question.

Many thanks in advance.