Vintage Snapshots

the wondrous world of vernacular photography

Category: Nice Hats

August 3, 2011

Shadows

Vintage snapshot of a a couple kissing, with photographer shadow

Kiss with Shadow (1940s)

Something you often see in vintage snapshots is not just a shadow cast by the photographer, but one in which you can tell they are looking down through the camera rather than holding it to their face. That was, of course, just the way a lot of cameras were configured at the time. It also resulted – however slightly – in a different perspective, with the camera at waist height rather than the height of the subjects’ heads. I think you can see that here. Just another thing that gives these old images a little bit of their charm.

I also love this one, with its partial shadow, where you again can see the arms holding the camera at waist level.

Vintage photo of a happy couple on tree stump, with photographer shadow.

Couple (1920s)

 

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July 31, 2011

State Line Photos

1939 snapshot of a man and boy posing next to a sign welcoming travelers to Arizona.

"Arizona Welcomes You" (1939)

A staple of vintage amateur travel photography is the shot of a person or persons next to a state-line welcome sign. In a lot of ways it must have been a somewhat bigger ‘event’ to venture into other states in, say, the 1930s or ’40s, before the dawn of the interstate highway system in the 1950s (and of course before air travel became such a common phenomenon). I like this image a lot – the suit and slightly rakish hat, the sign itself, and also just the warm, vintage tone of the photo. Somehow the angle also gives it something, I feel. I’m curious about their story.

Here is another Arizona sign, which is pretty similar. I’m not, however, as intrigued by this photo’s subjects.

Man and woman pose next to Arizona welcome sign.

"Arizona Welcomes You" (undated but likely '40s)

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