Found photos

[PeterSpencer]

Here are a few of a big collection of photographs from the same source, just everyday stuff. Mainly scanned from negatives but also a few prints. I scanned these in 2009 and put them on a back burner until last weekend. I've partially spotted them, in particular the people and their faces rather than the backgrounds. I finished them in Lightroom making sure the black and white endpoints were more or less correct, then lifted the darkest parts to reduce the contrast, it's amazing how contrasty this vintage film is. Speaking of which I should look for the negatives and see if there are any clues as to the film stocks.

One thing that struck me is how well exposed and, can I use the word, accomplished the photography is. There are basically two formats involved 6x6 and 6x9, looking how sharp the pictures are they must have been decent cameras. I have no idea how the shots were metered or if it was inspired guesswork.

Even the routine seascape and landscape shots are well composed. I only discarded a handful of really, really, really boring pictures during processing.

The subject matter is quite mundane but I find them intriguing, snapshot is the right word to categorise the pictures.

This negative came in a processing envelope for Mr. Bovington, so here he is cycling on holiday. You can see his camera case slung over his shoulder. There is no evidence of a third party taking pictures here so the camera must have been set up on a tripod and the shot taken using the self timer. They look a bit anxious.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Next there is a film labelled Jersey 1964. The actual Jersey negatives are a bit boring but here are two from the film(s). The matriarch looks quite fierce. In fact there are more pictures of her than anything or anyone else. I like the idea of a deck chair with a sun shade. The newspaper looks very bulky so this might have been a Lazy Sunday Afternoon, without the ravers.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Next from a set which could pre-date the last images.

Lunch, must be using flash.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Beside the seaside, in a place in Devon, I think, but I can't bring the location to mind. The off centre subject (Mrs. Bovington)?, is not the real subject of this picture, it's the distressed women to her right, our left. This could be an award winning street photograph.

 

[PeterSpencer]

A wedding,

For film camera buffs the camera on the tripod is a Rollop. Maybe this is the camera used to make other 6x6 pictures in the sets.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Now a lovely arrangement of toys. From the Kodak negative envelope this might be from the early 1930's. The film was processed in Norwich.

 

[PeterSpencer]

A visit to Guernsey And Sark in 1936.





Moulin, Sark I'm pretty sure.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Your place in Devon is Clovely I spent a hell of a time there as a kid, Great photos and as you say really well exposed. I think I like the first one best but I do like bicycles !

 

[PeterSpencer]

Nearer to home, some pictures of Windsor, 1954.

I think this was taken on Castle Hill. No tourists, no cars! PERHAPS NOT CASTLE STREET BUT THAMES STREET.



Lastly, a flypast which is coming over the castle. What was the occasion?

 

[medwaygreen]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

May be the 1953 coronation.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Although clearly many of these photographs were taken in the fifties. They have the look and feel of the Thirties. as to a large extent many people in Europe had not yet moved on from those times.
The Fifties was the Period covering my late teens and early twenties. it was the period when I moved from a Selfix 16-20 with ross xpres lens at school, to an agfa Sollinette 2 during military service, to a Rolleiflex at photographic college.

These shots from that period each showing a very different styles to your shots.

 

[PeterSpencer]

A few more from my father's cousin, Frank Holmes. Many more to scan.



If I'm not mistaken, it's Stirling Moss.

 

[VirtualAdept]

Beside the seaside, in a place in Devon, I think, but I can't bring the location to mind. The off centre subject (Mrs. Bovington)?, is not the real subject of this picture, it's the distressed women to her right, our left. This could be an award winning street photograph.

View attachment 334761

That'll be Clovelly

 

[PeterSpencer]

This was scanned from a print.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Frank's Wolseley.

 

[PeterSpencer]

 

[PeterSpencer]

Nice dramatic composition.

 

[simon ess]

AC Cobra

 

[PeterSpencer]

Mysterious figure.

 

[Plain Nev]

I think they are lovely. It's what photography was about for most people, capturing the moment. Now they seem like a fascinating bit of social documentary. Every picture tells a story. We all much too serious about it these days. We should do more of it.

 

[Boots]

Beside the seaside, in a place in Devon, I think, but I can't bring the location to mind. The off centre subject (Mrs. Bovington)?, is not the real subject of this picture, it's the distressed women to her right, our left. This could be an award winning street photograph.

View attachment 334761

Hey, I've got one of those!

If you are in doubt that it is the same location (as I was), look at the ornate balustrade behind the young lady's head in your image, and at the left in my image (above the gent's head).

I think this is Clovelly, around about 1965. My mother is in the foreground, with my head disappearing out of frame.

 

[Bebop]

What a fabulous collection of photographs. Thank you for sharing.

 

[PeterSpencer]

AC Cobra

I wondered if it was.

I went with a friend and his dad to Oulton Park and saw them (and heard them) racing. I remember being awestruck. I'm not sure of the year though it must have been 1959 or 1960. There was a race which included rear engined Coopers, which to my eyes were very strange in those days, having a collection of Dinky front engined classics, Maserati and the like. I'll try and find the pictures I took with my Halina 35X.

Incidentally, my mate's dad was a former RAF pilot, they had a full sized propeller propped up in the hall. We went to Oulton Park in his Rover 90 and we touched 90 mph going up the A34 dual carraigeway, quite a thrill.

 

[woof woof]

An interesting collection, I enjoyed the thread.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I think what we see in threads like this encapsulates what is best about photography.
It is one of the few thing that gets more interesting and more valuable with age.

Unfortunately it is more often than not discarded be for its value is recognised.

How often do you see an artillery director in actual use seconds later eight 45 pounders fired over our heads. I usually did the same job as the chap on the director, but that day I was just a spare. I was free to wander and no one usually noticed me. (1954) usually six men on a gun but 4 works just fine..

 

[Nod]

View attachment 334928
This was scanned from a print.

I think the bike's a Douglas. If you want to know, Classic Bike magazine have an ID "feature" where readers send in old photos and their team try to ID the bike(s). Googling the reg. no. might throw up other shots of the bike (if it's survived.)

View attachment 334930

As said, an AC Cobra. Pretty sure it is a 289 (cubic inch) version since the smaller ones weren't used much in competitions. The bonnet scoop and side exhaust make me fairly certain it's not an AC Ace (which was the basis for the Cobras).

 

[PeterSpencer]

Here is a selection from another group of found photographs, all from the USA and probably from a professional photographer. 1950's and maybe later.

Bride and bridesmaids.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Not sure what is being cast in the moulds, maybe gnomes or Christmas decorations?
.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Cheerleaders.

 

[PeterSpencer]

USN

I checked the insignia, the officer at the front is a Lieutenant Commander.



Construction work at the base. Interesting that the cement truck is a USN asset.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Alien spotting?

 

[PeterSpencer]

Night bus. Looking more closely, each person is wearing a badge and there is another bus following. So, some sort of convention or church picnic?

 

[PeterSpencer]

Dunking.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Pastor Josiah Andrew and wife. Grace Methodist Episcopal Church.

 

[PeterSpencer]

And finally a clue as to who the cheerleaders are. This years mug.



Monroe college, 1957, 'VERITAS PER SCIENTAM'.

The only plausible candidate I have found is Monroe College (in 1957 a business school) in the Bronx.

 

[Nod]

Not sure what is being cast in the moulds, maybe gnomes or Christmas decorations?
.
View attachment 335116

View attachment 335117

My guess is candles - you can see the wicks tied above the moulds.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Hope I'm not boring you but..

Here are few from the films I bought which must be from a professional wedding photographer. The envelopes are labelled with the bridegrooms name and address. Maybe I shouldn't reveal that information. Perhaps I should try to contact the family but that could be difficult because the house they lived in has been replaced by a block of flats and, anyway, life is too short.

Here from N1 is a selection of wedding photos. Not far from the famous Union Chapel.

Now, this photographer, certainly applied a formula to each wedding. He used a 6x6 TLR, looking at the viewpoints. He never used more than three films, absolutely the maximum number of frames was 48.

What shines out here are the people being photographed.

Before the wedding, massive Brylecreme users, the bridegroom and best man.

 

[PeterSpencer]

Next, arriving, the bride and dad. in a huge limo, wish the photographs could identify it. I want one! Especially with the rear suicide doors

 

[PeterSpencer]

No intimate photographs of the wedding itself, but afterwards there are many shots of wedding guest groups and then, a bridesmaid.

 

[PeterSpencer]

And another...