Shoebox Slides

Ed Sutton

Ed Sutton

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Many years ago I inherited a shoebox full of Kodachrome slides from the sixties and early seventies which were my aunt's. I've only just got round to looking at them and making some quick, but dusty, scans. Most are the usual holiday stuff taken by here husband using the Kodak Retinette (which I also have), but in 1967 after being widowed she went to the USA for a year, spending some time with relatives and also travelling by Greyhound. Her camera of choice appears to have been an Instamatic! I have a feeling that only the rejects are in the shoebox. However there are one or two which have something going for them. What has struck me is how the Kodachrome colors (sic), the locations and the fashions remind me of 'serious' American colour photography of the time.

Some of the wonky compositions seem to be the result of the camera's viewfinder as they are consistent across a number of slides - subjects very low in the frame. One thing's for sure, today's point and shoots do a much better job than the Instamatics did.

What really struck home while going through the slides, and it's the same with all the old family photographs I have, is that the knowledge of who is who has died with the people who took the pictures in the first place. I guess that's something a lot of us are guilty of. Maybe it's this mysterious anonymity that lends old vernacular photographs a lot of their interest for people?In this modern age we have no excuse for failing to document our family snaps, put them into a printed format and leave something tangible to pass on to future generations. I must be getting old and maudlin!

Here are two of the shots I like best - and a link to the rest (the woman standing in the snow is my aunt, although who took the photo I have no idea).


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Great that you've eventually got round to looking at them. Presumably you'll know where at least some of them were taken & it could be a good project/holiday? some day to visit yourself & re-take the pics.
I like the pics too. :cool:
 
OldCarlos said:
Great that you've eventually got round to looking at them. Presumably you'll know where at least some of them were taken & it could be a good project/holiday? some day to visit yourself & re-take the pics.
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Apart from a couple with obvious clues in the pictures I've no idea where most were taken, and America's a big place! I doubt there's anyone left alive who might know the itinerary now anyway. I might do something with my family pictures one day - although what I don't know!
 
I've started digitising our old family photographs, I hope to make a video history of the family as best I can for the grandchildren.
 
I digitised all my old personal slides which start in the 1960's. It was a task that brought grate pleasure. Bringing back memories from my days rock climbing, scouting, some urban shots of Manchester. And of course lots of family photos. Some of the older Agfa slides have a rather bleu cast. Must now start on the BW stuff from earlier.
 
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I scanned a lot of my black and white negs from the late '70s/early '80s a few years ago. It sure does take you back.
 
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