12/30/13

Nearing the END OF THE HOLIDAYS


Just in time, before we're all burned out, the holidays are coming to an end. How soon before Costco again has the aisles full of Barbie dolls and wrapping paper?

Until then, rest my friends, quiet rest.


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12/28/13

The family CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT


Does the little girl in the foreground look familiar? Take a look at these previous posts, here and here.


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12/26/13

TWO NEW TATTERED AND LOST VOLUMES and remembering GIVE A SHOW PROJECTORS


I'm happy to finally be able to announce the publication of two more books in the Tattered and Lost series. I would have loved to have announced them before Christmas, but then those that were receiving them as gifts would have lost their surprise.

Volume 1, Tattered and Lost: Vernacular Photographs, which was originally published via Blurb, is now at a larger trim size with more content. You can peruse the volume at Amazon.

Volume 4, Tattered and Lost: Cakes, Picnics, and Watermelon, is a fine example of my "obsession" with silly categories. Wander on over to Amazon and take a look.

Also still available are volume 2, Tattered and Lost: Childhood and volume 3, Tattered and Lost: Telling Stories. Each are available at CreateSpace and Amazon. You'll find links to all four in the column to the left.

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Raise Your Hand If You Remember GIVE A SHOW PROJECTOR

I'm guessing it would be hard for a kid today to get excited by a Give a Show Projector, but at one time this was a very sought after toy. Think of it as a bit like a Viewmaster that projected images onto a wall. In the days when kids programming on tv was limited to only a few hours each day, one of these projectors would allow you to watch The Flintstones anytime. Oh sure, it was just a single image projected onto a wall, but seriously, we enjoyed this. I personally never had one of these and I was probably a bit too old for one by the time they were marketed, but that didn't stop me from wanting one.

As you'll see in the image below the projector didn't work so great if the lights were on in the room. That or the kids haven't turned it on yet, or these kids simply were thrilled to stare at a blank wall. Take that X-box!


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12/23/13

CHRISTMAS EVE...


all is calm.


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The gift that KEEPS ON GIVING


Todd was so happy with his Christmas gifts of a new fishing pole and gun. He knew his family would never go hungry again.

On the other hand, his brother Tim was trying to not feel hurt that all he got was a string to attach to his belt loop.

Meanwhile, grandma was wondering what was going on in the kitchen and why the daughter-in-law wouldn't let her come and help. She knew the gravy would have lumps.


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12/22/13

The neglected plush TOY SOLDIER


Imagine, abandoned for a plush cow. Oh what will the guys back at the barracks think?


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12/21/13

One little girls SANTA JOURNEY


Santa might look different each year, but basically he's the same ol' jolly guy. In the case of the second Santa I'm thinking maybe he should not get behind the reins of the sleigh for awhile. Sleepy or boozy? You be the judge.






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To see more "Christmas" images visit here and here. More will be posted in the coming week.

Hoping fellow Sepians have a wonderful holiday! Sepia Saturday is a nice little home away from home for the holidays.

12/19/13

Merry Christmas with love FRANK SHLEMMER


Who wouldn't want to receive the annual Christmas photo from Frank? So much better than a boastful Christmas letter. Frank just knuckles down each year and...well...he just knuckles down.


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Merry Christmas right back at you Frank!

12/12/13

LADIES who lunch


An old Polaroid which still has the tear tab which is folded around the back.

Are these the ladies who lunch Sondheim wrote about? Of course not.


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12/11/13

SOLE-ful


I recently got into a conversation with a dealer at an antique store when she saw me going through a box of vintage snapshots. She wanted to know what I did with them. I always find that an interesting question. For some reason they usually think I must do scrapbooks or collages. I explained that I simply collect them, blog about them, and sometimes produce books that get sold on Amazon. That sort of satisfied her and she nodded and then started to walk away before pausing to say, "Are you looking for something specific?" I've heard this before from sellers hoping to guide me to their booth. I told her "yes and no." I think she'd seen me tearing through the box at a tremendous speed and probably wondered how I could find anything. I told her that when faced with a box of "pose for grandma" shots I sort very fast in hopes of finding something that is out of the ordinary. Again she nodded, paused, then walked away. She never saw that this shot below was one of my finds for the day. Would she have understood me? Probably not.


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12/8/13

Photobooth GIRLFRIENDS


So, did he push the first one out of the booth real fast so the second could get in? Was he a photobooth lothario?

12/6/13

The OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT IN THE KITCHEN category


I'll admit I'm obsessed with collecting snapshots. I love them. I love that they make me laugh. And I love when I discover a "category" within which to group some shots.

I like to think of categories as an obsession of their own. I've read about people who only collect photos of dogs or maybe shots which show the photographers thumb intruding into the frame. It's because of this that I create categories. I like to think of some poor soul out there only looking for photos of "women in kitchens looking over their shoulders." Their collection will be small, but I'm guessing they'll show it with pride, though no family member will understand and when they pull out the album to show it to friends eyes will roll.

So in the future, when you see a photo like the ones below consider yourself lucky that you found a shot for this obscure category. Don't hold your breath on their being an academic tome released anytime soon.


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This shot was originally published on November 13th.


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This shot was originally published on July 30th. As you can see I'm building an impressive collection of this category. I might die before I get ten of them, but it won't be for not trying. I vow I will never subject visitors to a sit down viewing of them in an album.


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I do have to say I think there might be a sub-category going on here, but only for people in the US who are, let's say...older. I'm thinking I might have stumbled upon a photo of a Charlie Weaver in drag impersonator in the first shot. Maybe it's just me remembering Charlie in the lower left corner of Hollywood Squares, which was a daily fix of absurdity whenever I was home sick from school.

This is my submission for Sepia Saturday. While others present logical posts about family history, I give you strangers cooking. Makes sense to me.

12/5/13

Arms and Legs AWKWARD


The last of the little prints, and this one is odd. An arm and leg looking not quite right.


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12/3/13

Striped POLKA DOT PETE



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The RAY BRADBURY small photobooth shot


As WJY pointed out, these little photobooth shots are in reality more likely small proofs from a professional studio. But Mike Brubaker has decided they're from a Ray Bradbury magic photobooth that took magical pictures. In this case...hmmmm...it's possible these folks aren't even actually from our universe.

Human or terrestrial? You be the judge.


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12/1/13

Small PHOTOBOOTH SHOTS


Is the little fellow on the right called One Pocket Polka Dot Pete?


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