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.

An evening with the Frankenstein's

Of course the biggest draw of this image is the caption. Was it mocking their frigid stares as the cash went off, or simply a last name. Either way its a pretty neat title. As for the photo itself, It's a pretty average snap. It is a bit unusual in that it is so clear. Most amateur photos had a little bit of shake to them, especially indoors. It's probably down to the flash used. Also of note is the girl on the left. She was probably a bobby soxer, a term for some teenage girls in the forties. They were characterized by wearing saddle shoes, chunky sweaters, and of course bobby socks. They would spend their time at soda shops and listening to Frank Sinatra, as well as other teenage heartthrobs.

Save the last dance for me

What a great way to finish off the school year than with a dance. This does not look like a formal prom, but more of a private affair. These two couples look as if they just started a slow dance. Probably good news for the girl in the heels. I couldn't imagine how she could do anything like the twist or watussi in those.

Cubish

All of these photos lend themselves very well to the square format, especially the last one. The border also helps give them a sense of intrigue and mystery. There is no information on the back, so we must guess where we are. I'm going to assume somewhere in California.

I'll never grow up

This photo has one of the best shadows i have ever seen. I love how both the photographer and the woman's shadow seem to tower over them. It feels just like peter pan. For them, it was probably just a side effect, they were more interested in the dress.

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.

A hardy meal

I just returned from vacation where I enjoyed many a great meal. Who knows if this was a special occasion, but the photographer must have wanted to capture something about it. Yum Yum!

More presents

Another great shot of some young girl unwrapping her gift. I've noticed that most photos at christmas revolve around materialistic items. Presents, Decorations, Dinner, Trees. Maybe thats because it is so hard to capture the sir it of the holiday season on film. Or, perhaps those material things are so intwined with the emotions we feel this time of year that its hard to tell them apart.

Christmas unboxing

A typical shot of christmas morning, with everyone unwrapping presents, finding out what Santa brought them. One boy got a Walkie Talkie. I wonder where its partner is. On the left it gives the date as JAN 70 ,but thats a little off. It's sad that this photo is no longer with the family, but at least they have the memories. 

This is my entry for Sepia Saturday.

The same but different

Sometimes when you are at a flea market or buy a group lot on eBay, it's easy to spot photos that come from the same family. It could be the handwriting on the back, the development sticker, or maybe a familiar face. But sometimes, they seem completely different. In this one, I almost didn't see that they were taken in the same room. Both had different people in them, and were shot at angles that were slightly different that I had no clue they were related. What tipped me off was the fruit painting in the top right corner. If not for that, these two would never have been together.

C.S. Lewis

A lovely group of kids, sometime near christmas, showing of their sweaters. On the back
Sue 17-Senior                                                  
Doug 16-Jr                                                            
Annie 13-8th                                                      
 Janet 10-5th                                                        
Christmas 1961-Betzalds
They could almost be the Pevensies.  Janet has a strong resemblance to Lucy, and Sue could easily pass for Susan. Perhaps behind that wooden wall, Narnia lies.

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.

It's the best I can do

This photo may look like an ordinary snap, but the back has a different story.
Magaut 1 1/2 yrs                                                                  
 Lana   2 1/2 "                                                      
  Me 21 -                                                                
+don't call me a liar                                                                    
This isn't very good but right now its the best I can do
Theres an aura of sadness around this photo, you can see it in the way she poses. The kids look as if they dont have a care in the world. They have no idea what they will face. And for the most part, neither do we.

Just a quick snap

I'm not really in the mood for writing a huge paragraph about a photo right now, so i'll just show one I picked up recently. It's a nice colour photo that has aged quite well, or at leased better than some of the stuff from the 40s and 50s (more to come on that). In the corner there appears to be one of those tacky painting that people put up to look sophisticated. Or, it could be a Vanguard in hiding. I wonder if this was taken as a special occasion, or if the photographer just decided it would be fun to get a few photos. Also, look at that hair.

P.S. Click the "300" tag to see all photos from this collection that I bought on ebay.

Fun in the darkroom

These photos look like they were taken by a semi-professional, or at leased some one who had a darkroom. They were both printed on postcard stock, which has a very nice feel, but has been out of style for quite some style.I think it suits these quite well. This is most likely the photographers house, or their friends. When looking at all these photos, its interesting to see all the similarities in the photos. The same houses, same cars, same vacations, same fashion. Its comforting to know that their are other people in the world just like you.

Hawaiian Shirts

Who knows if this couple was actually in Hawaii, but you never know. At a glance you could mistake them for twins, with their matching clothes and hair. They're probably still around somewhere, maybe even still together. Stranger things have happened. Whatever the case, I hope they were happy, at leased for that moment.

Two of a kind

Everything about this photo screams 50s suburbia. The house, the cat eyed glasses, everything. She looks kind of disapproving in this photo, but thats probably because of the lower angle. Most twin lens reflex cameras did this, but it could have been on per poise. The Huskies dont seem to mind, but thats probably because they are about to go out for a walk. This photo has great symmetry, just off enough to make it not seem planned. I think it's a nice feel

Joan

Here is Joan. That is all we will ever know about her. Thats unfortunate, but that is the case. However, there will be more of her coming next week. This photo was originally sepia, but due to scanning issues this is the best you'll get. This photo was originally an inch by half an inch. In other words, its tiny! But even with that, you can still see that Mona Lisa smile.

Dinos!!

Rawr!
This photo was picked up at a local flea market a few months ago. The tree T-rexes seem to have come from the same mould and are all in various stages of completion. Someone must have put a lot of effort into these. It could have been just a little kid, but it feels more composed than that, showing of all the angles of the beasts. There was another photo of them in the bin, but I foolishly left it there, where it has found another owner.