Pik Nik

I guess I've been a little neglectful of updating posts here lately. I blame the summer heat, it makes everyone a little forgetful. These people were probably enjoying one of those lazy, hot afternoons as well. I love all of these haircuts, especially the girl in the front with her hairpin to the side.

Post Grad

Not much to say about these two. I love the expression of the girl on the left.

Lying on the ground

Some great sundresses out on the lawn of an unknown park. Probably a picnic for just the girls. Not a very noteworthy photo at a glance, but after a few minuets of looking at it I couldn't help but have my eyes drawn to the woman in the centre. She's the only one that is looking directly into the lens. Not much else to say about this one.

A line of children

In this great square snap, we have a gaggle of children. Why were they in the middle of a field? Was it a field trip, or perhaps their backyard. Also, what is that crds hatching effect all over the print? At first I thought it was a fence, but it looks to be something else, perhaps something during development. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A man on each arm

Such a great freeze frame of some of the fashion of the era. I just adore the sailor themed outfit the girl is wearing. It must have been pretty muddy out, as they appear to have rain boots on. There is nothing on the other side to tell where in the world we are. Maybe its better to just guess.

Square in the middle

I just love this photo. The framing and focus is superb, and you can really see just how much fun both of them are having.The setting brings back great memories of being out in the park. Overall, just a lovely snapshot of a lazy day spent together in sweet content.

C'mere you

I love the smiles in this photo. you can see the love in their eyes as they gaze at one another. They look so natural together, arm in arm. I like the use of landscape in this shot, and them being a little off centre helps the photo a great deal.

Picnic in the park

I love the composition in this one. It makes you feel as if you were right there.

Something about Britain

The background in this photo just screams England. With all the spiralling turrets made from sturdy stone, hundreds of years old, and the clusters of houses beside it. Even the clothes look the part. I wonder if this boy was the only child in this family, or if the rest had already grown up.

Scribble

All snapshots live different lives. Some are stuck in books for decades, some are thrown in shoeboxes, and some are stuffed in wallets. These ones were in awful shape, all bent and creaked. On the back someone had used them to see if a ballpoint pen was working. And yet they have withstood the test of time. The scene they captured is what we imagine the past as. Fun outside in the backyard perimetered by a white picket fence, not a care in the world.

Glasses you could fry ants with

These glasses were the reason that the term "Coke bottle lenses" was invented. You can't even see her eyes, but that could just be the camera angle. Im guessing this was shot in a rural area, judging by the PVC pipe and pen in the background. I wonder how old she was. Definitely over 90, but how close to 100? Your guess is as good as mine.

Ananas

The french word for Pineapples, which I found immensely funny in elementary school. These people seem to be peeling (?) a lot of them. A luau, perhaps? Behind the chain link fence there appear to be even more in the ground, so this is probably Hawaii or somewhere apse as tropic. When I first saw this photo, I didn't even notice what the man was doing, I could only look at that woman's glasses. Almost as big as Edna Modes from The Incredibles. They go with her dress. How go-go.

Up, up and away

Some photos that you find you can figure out instantly. This one is one of them. The only question is why they took the photo. Was it for insurance, or just for proof. Who knows. I love vintage cars, but I can never get  truck names right. I believe this is a late 50's chevy or GMC, but any info would be nice. Thanks!

Trim and a haircut

Some people who collect photos only focus on the image. The image is the most important thing, but we shouldn't forget that a found photo is a 3 diminutional object. Some have borders, some have smudges or ripped corners. Some, like this one, have been trimmed, perhaps to fit in an album, or just for aesthetics. This one really helps with what would be a rather pedestrian photo.

Polaroid

Polaroids have always had their charm, whether it be a classic sx-70 with the iconic borders, or the colour pack film with its over saturated pictures. But another great kind is the black and white shots. This one is from the 60s or 70s at some unnamed play park. That jungle gym is probably still their. Happy kids, smiling faces.

Ain't she sweet

Even though this is a minuscule photo, less than an inch, it has amazing clarity. On the back, written in fountain pen is:

Ain't she sweet. Incidentally, the spots on my face belong to the veil, not my face                                                            July 1939.

I love this caption. I wonder why she had that veil. Perhaps she was at a funeral, but I feel this was a happier occasion. The background gives us nothing else to go on, but it seems to be chosen carefully. The photographer looks to be somewhat skilled. Or, it as just a fluke. Who knows.

A villa on the water.

Sometimes, black and white can make water look spectacular. Maybe it was taken in a low lying boat, or it could be on a shore bank. Either way, They got a good perspective. I'm no architect, but the buildings don't look north american. It could just be a style. Wherever it is, It looks like a wonderful place to relax.
This is part of an eBay lot of 300 photos. To see others from that collection, click the "300" tag.

Meaning

Last week we talked about Photos with no meaning. This one is different. On the surface, It looks like it could be Just an accidental photo, but with the instantness of polaroid, it probably wouldn't have survived. Looking at the composition, This could be an artistic photograph. Look at the composition, the leading lines, the repetition. This was clearly planned. Except it wasn't. On the back, it says:
                                      2 1/2 in. at one end       1 1/2in at the other end.                                                          It wasn't a keen eyed photographer at all, just a construction worker who needed to take measurements. Of course, there are still mysteries, such as where and what this is and what those figures mean. But those are questions for another time.

Two of hearts

These two photos came in a large grab bag on ebay (you can see others by using the 300 tag). Sometimes when you have more photos you get more clues, like where they are, what they are doing and even who they are. Other times, it just raises more questions. Is that woman the babies Mother, or a relative, or someone else? Is the photographer the dad, or an uncle? Where are they? There are no clues on the back, only some prices on the back from an antique store. I guess sometimes things have to stay a mystery.

Scott

This is from a lot a purchased on eBay with the theme of cameras in the shot. It should be no secret that I adore vintage cameras and have over 300 in my collection. This one has a Kodak Instamatic in it. It appears to be an early model without the signature flashcubes, but instead, a flashbulb. Seeing cameras in photos like these also makes you realize that the photo didn't just appear, it was created by someone else. Who were they? Why did they take it? So many questions. Back to the shot: I love how the person at the centre of the photo (On the back it says he's Scott) poses. He looks confident, ready for anything , but also laid back. Nothing else on the back, so we have no idea who the guy holding the camera is. Or, he could be Scott. The is the mystery of found photos that is so fascinating.