Comments | anything_aos: Photography

lokisday in anything_aos

Photography

Feb 24, 2010 12:42

As a photographer, I find this very interesting. There are obviously lots of paintings of famous war heroes, but not as many photos - because photography wasn't invented yet. The photos that ARE there obviously show people older than their portraits. But it makes me wonder - what did people really look like? Paintings are never ENTIRELY clear ( Read more... )

Comments 17

anteros_lmc February 24 2010, 12:57:55 UTC

Fascinating!

Here's another couple to add to your collection:

Franklin:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Franklin.jpg
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/tserver.php?f=9191-1.jpg&h=650&legacyResize

James Clark Ross:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sir_James_Clark_Ross_by_Stephen_Pearce.jpg
http://www.jamescairdsociety.com/pix/Ross%20250.jpg (not entirely sure this is a photograph, but I think is may be.)

lokisday February 25 2010, 08:25:13 UTC

It does look like one, if a little out of focus, but that may just be the scan. :)

I was just reading about Franklin then ... god those arctic expeditions creep me out. It seems anyone who ever survived one was just lucky!

anteros_lmc February 25 2010, 19:49:00 UTC

Of course if it's contrast you're interested in you really need to compare the famous bearskin portrait of Ross with his later photograph. Although I think Ross is still quite striking even in old age.

god those arctic expeditions creep me out. It seems anyone who ever survived one was just lucky!
They sound utterly horrendous. I seem to remember that the only person who survived the final Franklin expedition was a seaman who took ill and was dropped off in Orkney (I think..) Btw if you're interested I've got a review of Frozen in Time here.

lokisday February 26 2010, 10:00:54 UTC

That portrait is ALMOST moving me to make a thread "So... be honest, just how HAWT were these people?" but as that would be embarassingly fangirlish I shall resist. Right? XD ( ... )

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lokisday February 24 2010, 23:21:38 UTC

You're welcome ^^

esteven February 24 2010, 20:07:11 UTC

Thanks for this post, and more to the point for the Cochrane. :D

I feel that there is still a lot of the young dashing man of the portrait in the photo. He was around 80 wasn't he?
*dotes on him*

Yes it is a shame photography wasn't invented earlier.
*dreams of photos of Collingwood or Jack Byron*

latin_cat February 24 2010, 22:47:15 UTC

I love that these photographs exist. It's so easy to look the past away when there are only paintings to remember these people by; but to have a photograph makes you stop and realise that no, it really was not that long ago.

(I think you can see more of the photo in this portrait; around the eyes and the chin.)

lokisday February 24 2010, 23:20:33 UTC

Ah yes, quite a lovely one of him. ^^ I picked the other one because I thought it'd make for a better contrast ... very young vs quite old. I'm always trying to look for the earliest portraits of people because a lot of people seem to find it impossible that war heroes could be attractive. IMHO most people are attractive between the ages of 15 and 45 ^^ Nelson for example... but that's even more sad than lusting after David Bowie, which did from the age of 14.. At least Bowie's still ALIVE. ... Yeh, i should go to bed. XD

latin_cat February 24 2010, 23:28:35 UTC

Well, if you want the earliest 'portrait' going there's this one;

( ... )

lokisday February 24 2010, 23:45:08 UTC

OMG!! I want to poke his little nose! ... *re-reads that statement about WELLINGTON* ... bwahahahaha. But it's true, it was wickle then! Aww, doesn't he have the loveliest profile. THX so much for sharing that!

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