The deep

I love the mystery of this photo. A fishing trip, a cruise, or an expedition? Sadly, we will never know.

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.

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.

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.

Paradise, Hawaiian Style

I doubt these two ran into Elvis on their trip to the Aloha state, but I'm sure they had some fun. They look as if the three of them had just landed, with their suitcases by their sides. Off to find adventure of their own, we must leave them, for the rest of their trip has vanished into thin air

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.

Framing

I love how this was printed on the wrong paper. Unless this was meant to be like this for people to write on the bottom. There aren't that many photos of people sleeping, which is a shame. Some can be hilarious, but some can be quite unnerving. It makes you think if this is how you look. This one seems very calming.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Tiny

One of the defining features of found photos is the size of them. There are very few large no  professional photos. most vernacular ones are no bigger than 6" by 4". Anything more than that is an enlargement. Amateur photography wasn't meant to be large and filled with detail. It was just supposed to document a person or place or event. In the same way as he telephone was only clear enough to hear another voice the consumer photograph was meant to show just enough to get a rough idea of what happened. This one is on the smaller end, measuring less than an inch. However, this one looks to be cut from another, larger photograph. How big it was originally is a mystery.

One big family

Before the holidays are totally over, I thought I'd treat you to Three found photos. They were all taken at the same time and place, perhaps a family reunion or a wedding. The first two are all the kids with a grandmother. The last one has some more adults with some questionable hairstyles. Judging them as well as the clothes puts these photos right in the middle of the sixties. All of those kids are the baby boomers. Who knows what they accomplished.

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.

Off for a good old hike

Now that school is over and summer is officially here, its time to enjoy the sun and take a walk. I have no idea where these were taken. It sure must have been fun though. another thing that's hard to figure out is the date. I'm guessing the early 50s based on the wardrobe of the lady in the first picture, but the people on the top look older than that.

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.