Part of the fun of vernacular snapshots is to see what locations people decided were the best spots to pose. We've all been through it. "Stand over here. No wait, over here would look nicer. Okay wait, the sun is behind you. You're just a big shadow. Go back to where you first were." And so it goes. In the case of these two shots all of the people had to do a little bit of climbing on rough surfaces in shoes not meant for climbing.
I posted at my ephemera site about having photos taken on downed trees, specifically redwoods. These lovely ladies, from probably sometime around 1915, are not on a redwood. I'd say pine, several pines. Not only did the lady on the log need a lift up, but I imagine the other one needed to tip-toe gently amongst the logs so as to not get things rolling under her feet. And that odd feather/flower/bird thingie on her shoulder...I really don't know. Looking at the shot through my loop it looks to be drawn on...but not really. However the black is much blacker than all other blacks in the shot and the white tip is whiter than all other whites. Usually by looking through my loop I can figure these things out easily, but not this time. There is also a small "v" in black ink on the sitting woman's left arm, her left arm, not the left arm when we look at her. Okay, not vital information.
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Then there's this couple from probably the 40s or 50s. Clearly not dressed for mountain climbing, but sometimes we forget how rural people's lives were. If they were bedecked in their Sunday finest and lived in the countryside of course they'd be posed next to plants or rocks if not next to a building. What I find funny is that they climbed up this little incline and sat down. What was it about those rocks that made them so gosh darn fascinatin' to require climbing up on them and settin' down? I mean, I like the shot, but I would have loved to hear the discussion that took place while they sat on the rocks in their nice clothes and then dusted off their fannies when standing. And there is the oh so small hint of a shadow on the right so there were at least two people watching them. Did they then change places and have this couple in the photo take a shot of the other two? We'll never know.
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These photos were bought on vacation in a small antique store in Weaverville, California. I scoured the shop hunting for anything when I finally spotted a small basket with a stack of photographs. All were shots taken in the countryside, nothing taken in any cities. Now whether or not they were taken in or around Weaverville I don't know. Weaverville is still a pretty rural place located in the Trinity Alps of Northern California. A fine little gold mining town with a wonderful Chinese temple that is a state historic site. All 'n' all a good time was had in Weaverville.
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