Old-Fashioned Photos


I love digital photo technology. The tiny cameras and almost unlimited photo storage space of today makes it possible for people to take photos anywhere and everywhere, and capture each and every memory.

But sometimes I think we take almost too many photos. Right now I have 10 photos of my sons eating birthday cake, and I have to keep all 10 because they look slightly different in each one, and each unique expression is too cute for me to delete. I also have another 10 photos of them eating ice cream on Christmas day, looking almost exactly the same as they did in those 10 birthday cake photos. And they will probably sit in my hard drive for eternity. Fifty years from now, my sons will only skim past those photos because they still have to get through the rest of the 10,000 photos on my hard drive.

That's one reason I love the old-fashioned, black-and-white photos. Each photo was truly a snapshot in time because there are so few of them. Cameras and film were so expensive, and the actual photoshoot was so time-consuming (everyone had to stand/sit perfectly still, the photographer had to get under his black cloth, wait for the flashbulb to charge, etc.. etc..) that each photo was a Really. Big. Deal. There were no second chances, no extra files or negatives. Copies get lost or burnt or faded, making those that remain more precious still.

With no photos to chronicle each and every detail of their houses, their events, their expressions, we can only imagine what the rest of their lives could have been like. But that's part of their appeal -- these old-fashioned photos have such an air of romance and mystery because so much is left to our own imaginations.



: For more old-fashioned things, click here.

25 comments:

Dallas Meow said...

wow!

Anonymous said...

I also like my parents black and white wedding photos.

It was really memories.

Mine is up.
http://www.keeyit.com/index.php/2008/01/25/photo-hunter-old-fashioned/

Happy weekend :P

Carver said...

Those are wonderful photographs for the old fashioned theme. I like black and white shots too.

jmb said...

How right you are. We all have hard drives full of almost identical photos. I went to a local museum the other day and took 178 photos in an hour and a half.
Anyway your photo for the theme is wonderful.
Have a great weekend and thanks for visiting.

PastormacsAnn said...

I love this post! So true! Wonderful photo as well!

eastcoastlife said...

I love to look at old photos. They tell so much about the lives in the past.

Unknown said...

what a great photo, i love it too!

Heart of Rachel said...

It's a nice photograph. I like the effect of black and white photos.

Utah Mommy said...

Wow great shot! It's an old one indeed! Thank you for dropping by and oh! i love to watch house in the prairie too. I thought i am the only old fashion girl lol! I like that kind of show, for family.

Hootin Anni said...

I too love the black and white photos...not only old fashioned, but I think there is just more to them. Leaving a lot to think about instead of the life-color photos of today!!

Thanks for the visit.

Natalie said...

That's very true. You used to take one picture and hope it was good. Now we take a million and somehow keep them all. :)

Come visit my Old Fashioned photos if you get a chance. :)

Sarge Charlie said...

I love the photo. I read your bio and agree that you are a Bongga. I am posting late today since I just got of the Carnival Freedom and their first annual Bloggers Cruise, 700 bloggers on board, it was fun, next one from New Orleans in February 09.

Corey~living and loving said...

I love old photos. Great choice.

happy weekend!

ipanema said...

lovely old photo! thanks for the visit. :)

NatzG said...

I sooooo agree with you! This photo is just lovely! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such a welcoming comment :-)

Anonymous said...

Each of the people in that photograph has the most amazingly expressive eyes.
You could lose yourself in them.
Thanks for sharing and visiting.
And the video of Pea and her cousin well I was just melting here :)

Sreisaat said...

Lovely! Pictures like this bring back memories :D

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

That is a beautiful old fashioned photo. :) Wonderful post too. Perfect choice for this week's Hunt. :)

jams o donnell said...

I know what you mean about digital photogrpahy. I have an external hard drive filling up with photos! THere is something special about photos like the one you show here. Happy weekend!

Liz Hinds said...

That is a great photo and I so agree with what you've written. We didn't have a digital camera when our children were little but we do now with our puppy!!

Liz said...

It's a beautiful family photo. Thbaks for dropping by ;)

Anonymous said...

Perfect for old fashioned. Happy Monday.

Joy said...

Interesting insight about the differences between photography then and now. I'm a scrapbooker so I'm all about preserving the memories. :D
Thanks for stopping by mine!

CHIKAI ♥ said...

i so agree with you bongga mom! :)

btw, thank you so much for checking out my photohunt entry. ;)

BLOGSILOG

Anonymous said...

Bongga Mom - I have a few old b&w's from the Philippines - my mother-in-law (mommi) gave me from when she was a girl. I love it, her mother is in full Maria-Clara dress, puffy sleeves and all.