I started this blog because I love photographs, and even more than that, I love to share photographs. Photography has been such a part of our lives for the past hundred and seventy years that we take the ability to see things for granted-- to see far away places and distant days; to see flappers, Civil War soldiers, and our own ancestors; to see what a battle looks like, or a gold rush town. Most people throughout most of history have never been able to do these things. If you've never done so, pause for a moment and think about it. Photography has brought the whole world so much closer to us than was ever possible.
 |
| personal collection |
You may have noticed that the purpose of this blog is stated as "to connect with the people of the past." I feel that photographs are a connection. When we look at a photograph we are looking at something the photographer looked at, and at the way they captured it, and at an object that meant something to other people. If there's people in the picture we're glimpsing lives that were lived, a fraction of a second in someone's existence that's been preserved. We're connecting to the ways the photographs were used and the people who used them.
 |
| personal collection |
Maybe this all sounds very grand for a random assortment of photographs collected from other collections; maybe it is. I don't aim to say anything in this blog, or to be comprehensive or even informative per se. But these grand thoughts are what drives me to spend hours in photograph collections (both online and in person), and to feel the drive to show as many people as many photographs as possible.
 |
| personal collection |
Since I started this blog, and in fact because of the fulfillment I've found in it, I have actually gone into the field of professionally studying and working with old photographs. Still, this blog remains purely a hobby. I love to do it. I am still thrilled that so many people look at it and like it and share it. Thank you!
 |
| personal collection |
Anna Krentz
May 2013 [updated December 2014]
No comments:
Post a Comment