As a photographer myself, I've always been fascinated by photographs of photographers. In the first place, there is a rarity value to them: we are the ones who take the photos, not feature in them (perhaps this is why we become photographers!). Secondly, I'm on the lookout for that look, common to all photographers as … Continue reading The One On The Right Has It
Category: Pictures From Nowhere
Real People, Real Lives
Whilst photographs may start out life as things that are intensely personal - this is Aunty Vera, this is our holiday - after a century or more pressed in an album and becoming sepia with age and neglect, they become things of interest to us all. The scene, the clothes, who is there (and who … Continue reading Real People, Real Lives
The Girl With The Throwaway Glance
19th century photography is photography of the constrained: studio photography of fixed poses, fixed smiles and fixed emotions. The twentieth century brought cheaper cameras and that meant photography of the people by the people. Of the people leaning against a wall with arms folded, of the girl with the throwaway glance, of the dog snoozing … Continue reading The Girl With The Throwaway Glance
… And They Sailed Away
My trawl through my collection of old photographs to find a suitable illustration for St. Valentine's Day came up with this one. As so often is the case, I have no idea who these two are or where and when the photo was taken. That doesn't matter: it perfectly illustrates what Valentine's Day is all … Continue reading … And They Sailed Away
Five Girls And A Kodak
The Sepia Saturday theme this week is old photos of even older photographers, and searching through my extensive (if my wife reads this, I mean very small) collection, I found this 1920s photograph. At first I thought the object in question might be a small handbag, but further research suggests it's a Kodak No 1 … Continue reading Five Girls And A Kodak
Balance By Post
Our Sepia Saturday theme image this week featured a postman delivering parcels in the snow, and my interpretation of the theme retains the snow but features a different kind of post. As agile as that interpretation of the theme may be, it has nothing on the agility of the chap in this 1924 photograph from … Continue reading Balance By Post
A Walkley Man
My love of old photographs has led me to collect thousands of them over the years and share them with fellow enthusiasts throughout the world. One way in which I do this is via a weekly internet meme, Sepia Saturday, which I started way back in 2009. Our theme this week is "Old Photographs As … Continue reading A Walkley Man
Much Love, Mother
I've no idea who this is a photograph of; it came from one of those job lots of old photos I am so fond of. On the back of the print is written "Much love, Mother, June 1918". The sentiment is lovely and the features are kind and, indeed, rather beautiful. It is the date … Continue reading Much Love, Mother
Harvest Scene
The starting point for today's image was a 1920s photograph from my suitcase full of "found photos." It wasn't in very good condition, so I felt at liberty to "mess around with it" (the digital scan, of course, not the original photograph). I rather like the result: nothing has been added, just the colours and … Continue reading Harvest Scene
alanburnett.com 