While you wait
In 1928 there was a huge fair in this city, and part of the attractions of this fair was a photograph stand. It was called Pictures while you wait, and was literary that. In its time it was cutting edge technology, and people flocked to have their photos taken - and took the images home with them.
Now the years pass, and the fair and its photos were more or less forgotten - until someone uncovered boxes upon boxes of the photo negatives. Suddenly, by developing the negatives, you could see all the different faces of the people visiting the fair. Young and old, rich and poor. There was one problem though, and that was that none of the negatives was marked or named. So the people in the photos were by and large unknown.
They started a campaign in the local newspaper. "Go to this net page and go through the photos. Do you know any of the people there?" Many did, and so some of the people started to be named. Like this family called Larsen. (and is it just me or does it look like mom is calling the shots in this family? Something about the look in her eyes.)
But the majority of the photos are still without a name. This leaves us guessing. To look at things like clothes and shoes. Are they rich, are they poor etc. The odd thing, I find, is that when you start to guess the images come a bit alive.
You, or at least I, start to make things up. I look at the way the people stand, the way they look at each other. I look for any possible family resemblances. I some way all this guesswork make these pictures more personal to me, more mine. (And then of course we can argue about how ethical that is).
Though I don't know for sure I think this is a father and daughter. Also I love his striped socks
There is also another factor I find interesting. They didn’t have that much money back in 1928 (in fact they didn’t have that much money in this part of the world until the late 1970’s.But I digress.), and so they had only one background to take the photo against. In addition they had only two props. One was a bench and one was a chair, and as a result all the photos are composed over the same elements.
Yes, despite their identical point of origin it is fascinating to see how different the photos are. It is a difference that comes solely by how the people interact with the props, and most importantly with each other.
Here is one young girl.
And here is another. It’s quite a difference yes?
This is possibly my favourite picture of them all. It's just something about their body language and their smiles. I also like how they are not overtly posing for the camera (compare with the young girl above). Instead they are just standing there, and appear to be having a grand time. We don't know their names, but from their clothes I would say they were farmers and rather poor farmers at that. They both look like they are wearing their Sunday best, and it is not very posh is it. To contrast look at the rich farmers below who are wearing folk costumes.
It is a different world in a way. Incidentally this is the folk costume that belongs to the Hardanger region.
Then there is a rather amusing assortment of trios. There are these guys with bears. (why bears? I want to know!)
This trio, who are wearing the clothes of carpenter apprentices.
There is a trio of women who are obviously rich. Look at all that fur and shimmering fabric.
Then a photo of what I suspect is a family, and which makes me glad knee-socks went out of fashion. (though obviously kilts are an exception...)
And a trio of nurse - all without a name.
The search for the names and identities continues, and while I hope they will find out who most of these people are - there is a part of me that also hopes that some of them will remain a mystery.
Now the years pass, and the fair and its photos were more or less forgotten - until someone uncovered boxes upon boxes of the photo negatives. Suddenly, by developing the negatives, you could see all the different faces of the people visiting the fair. Young and old, rich and poor. There was one problem though, and that was that none of the negatives was marked or named. So the people in the photos were by and large unknown.
They started a campaign in the local newspaper. "Go to this net page and go through the photos. Do you know any of the people there?" Many did, and so some of the people started to be named. Like this family called Larsen. (and is it just me or does it look like mom is calling the shots in this family? Something about the look in her eyes.)
But the majority of the photos are still without a name. This leaves us guessing. To look at things like clothes and shoes. Are they rich, are they poor etc. The odd thing, I find, is that when you start to guess the images come a bit alive.
You, or at least I, start to make things up. I look at the way the people stand, the way they look at each other. I look for any possible family resemblances. I some way all this guesswork make these pictures more personal to me, more mine. (And then of course we can argue about how ethical that is).
Though I don't know for sure I think this is a father and daughter. Also I love his striped socks
There is also another factor I find interesting. They didn’t have that much money back in 1928 (in fact they didn’t have that much money in this part of the world until the late 1970’s.But I digress.), and so they had only one background to take the photo against. In addition they had only two props. One was a bench and one was a chair, and as a result all the photos are composed over the same elements.
Yes, despite their identical point of origin it is fascinating to see how different the photos are. It is a difference that comes solely by how the people interact with the props, and most importantly with each other.
Here is one young girl.
And here is another. It’s quite a difference yes?
This is possibly my favourite picture of them all. It's just something about their body language and their smiles. I also like how they are not overtly posing for the camera (compare with the young girl above). Instead they are just standing there, and appear to be having a grand time. We don't know their names, but from their clothes I would say they were farmers and rather poor farmers at that. They both look like they are wearing their Sunday best, and it is not very posh is it. To contrast look at the rich farmers below who are wearing folk costumes.
It is a different world in a way. Incidentally this is the folk costume that belongs to the Hardanger region.
Then there is a rather amusing assortment of trios. There are these guys with bears. (why bears? I want to know!)
This trio, who are wearing the clothes of carpenter apprentices.
There is a trio of women who are obviously rich. Look at all that fur and shimmering fabric.
Then a photo of what I suspect is a family, and which makes me glad knee-socks went out of fashion. (though obviously kilts are an exception...)
And a trio of nurse - all without a name.
The search for the names and identities continues, and while I hope they will find out who most of these people are - there is a part of me that also hopes that some of them will remain a mystery.