These color photos of the '30's and 40's (clickable) just emerged from the Library of Congress.
Haunting. Haunting. Why should color from the past - make it so much more real?
The anonymous people, our ancestors, battlefields - were always 'then' . . . the 'past' . . . a strange 'before now' time . . that peered from black and white photographs. And now this.
Why does it affect me, so? Perhaps because the same sun that colors our lives, now falls on their faces, on their shining hair, on the fields they plow. It is a world of blood, sweat and tears. No longer just a black and white recording of others in a strange other time.
It's unsettling to see these wraiths as no different from me. After all, they lived so long ago . . . in that less nuanced world . . that static two-dimensional world where ghostly images drift. And they are probably gone - vanished into that gauzy black and white world. Surely different laws reigned over their lives, than do mine. But no, I am now disabused of the notion that I am more 'now' than they could ever have been.
Truly. I am moved and amazed at the difference that throwing the palette of common daily life across the past, makes in my perception.
Thank you, Laura. You should have seen it in color. Click for a very poignant song.
__________________________________________________
14 comments:
Color does make them seem a bit more, well, real. Strange, isn't it?
I saw a long, long series of photos once of Depression era photos. Of farms and small towns and cabins in the desert. They left just such an impression.
Oh, yes, different laws did indeed reign over their lives. Far fewer too. Nicely written.
"You should have seen it in color"... ever heard that song by Jamey Johnson? It's country, but I was reminded of it with this post, Cathy. Have a listen!
Rev. Paul,
Yes. Real. So interesting that color makes such a difference in my perception.
Marinane,
Those images move us. Something about those lives, the human journey, frozen in time
Stephen,
Ah, yes! In many ways - a simpler time. Thank you. I needed to put it in words.
Laura,
I'm headed to Google :) I'm reeeally backward when it comes to popular music. I don't know Jamey Johnson, but I think I'm about to be introduced.
Laura.
Thank you.
I'm going to link to it.
Beautiful. Truly.
Thanks for the link. My first impression was that these were from movie sets, but it takes only a second to know they are real. Haunting.
For now at least, the world keeps on, with or without us.
Jonna,
And tell you what. You want 'haunted' ?
Have you watched that Jamey Johnson video - In Color?
Haunting and so, so poignant.
________________________
AC,
Interesting take you've got there.
Yes, 'for now' . . .
. . . but of course, the 'now' is where we experience it. It's just so haunting to remind ourselves that those ghostly images also experienced the world exactly as we do. It's the passage of time . . the fact that now isn't forever, no matter what the zen masters say about the 'eternal' now.
Very insightful. And I agree. Of course, having been born in 1941 I remember some of the color around me...;)
Ah Troutbirder!
Welcome to one who made the transition, like Dorothy in The Wizard Oz - from black and while to glorious living color ! :)
My hubby and I were hatched in '43 and '46 . . kind of the cusp.
I love those old photos and the color does add another dimension. I'm a fan of old films too.
Hey Larry!
Then you must love Casablanca - one of my favs.
Funny about aging. The older I get, the less ancient those pictures become. Hmmmm . . .
Post a Comment