Saturday, January 15, 2011

Mosaic Monday: Old Photographs



I find myself drawn to the old photos I come across occasionally in thrift stores and antiques shops. Who was this person? When did they live? What was their life like? I guess I'm always in search of a good story... or maybe I'm just nosy. :)

I have seen images of wedding parties that look as solemn as a funeral. I often wonder if their expressions were typical for the time in which the photo was taken, or if the newly married couple were seriously contemplating the full import of the vows they had just taken.

I have come across graduation pictures, first communions and candid shots that portray the joy of the moment in now-faded glory. Recently, I found this precious miniature in my favorite thrift shop. Judging by the beautiful case, this child was cherished. What was their life like? Who did they grow up to be? Were their later years filled with joy, or disappointment? Or both, as perhaps is true of us all.

Of course, I will never know the answers to any of my questions. And perhaps that is as it should be. Perhaps the main thing is to ask all of those questions of my own life -- to make sure I am living an examined life.

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Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.


50 comments:

  1. It seems a shame that the little photograph is not in the hands of that person's family. I just treasure all the old family photos that I have collected. It brings me closer to them. Lovely mosaic.

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  2. What a lovely little photo in a very sweet frame/case. I've adopted a few photos that are in the thrift and antique shops.....always a little sad to me to see them there.

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  3. How beautiful, the way you photographed that on the blue & white.
    Sherry

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  4. What an amazing little frame...and you've taken such beautiful photos! I hope you're feeling better! ♥ Hugs! ♥

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  5. Mary, they are lovely photographs. At first I thought they were your family photos. I hope you feel better soon.

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  6. Lovely mosaic Mary. Have a wonderful week and take care of the cold.

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  7. I'm always drawn to old photos...it seems a shame they end up separated from family members. What a beautiful hinged frame & mosaic~

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  8. Hi Mary
    The little box with the portrait does make one wonder about the young person shown in it. What a shame that the history of a family should end up in a thrift shop.
    The old photo looks nice displayed on your blue and white dishes.
    Judith

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  9. Yes - old photographs are so interesting. I have one like yours of a relative. It's a family treasure.

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  10. Oh what a sweet baby picture! Yes, clearly that child was cherished.

    Sometimes those grim faces in photographs were by necessity -- the shutter time was so long with some of those early cameras that a "poker face" was easier for subjects to hold than a smiling face while the picture was taken.

    Today's high fashion models also look grim, and they don't have as good a reason!

    Stay warm
    Cass

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  11. Love your beautiful plates in the background! So calm and serene.
    Cindy

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  12. Mary this little photo locket is such a sweet treasure. I'm glad someone like you found it and will cherish it.
    Happy MM!
    ♥ Pat

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  13. What a beautiful picture! I love the frame with the old photo, so sweet!

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  14. That little photo and locket/frame/case are amazing! I have a friend who calls these kind of collected photos "instant relatives." I like old photos no matter who they are of. I have plenty of old photos of my family hanging from my walls but I don't mind some that are just neat too. I definitely ponder the who and what, so you're not alone there!

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  15. I'm with you - I could look at old photos for hours - even if I have no idea who the people are. Wonderful styling & composition...thank you for sharing these!

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  16. Beautiful mosaic Mary. Old photos are just fun and a good mystery!

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  17. The kind of frame/photo with the little child is called a daguerreotype. Look it up in wikipedia for info on it. They are very interesting and you would especially enjoy being a photographer. I have several from my father's family. I've also learned the reason most people did not smile in photos was because generally their teeth were not in good shape--browned and probably some missing. So they kept their mouths shut!

    Interesting you and I both did posts on old family photos today! Yours are lovely with the plates! And the lighting! Have a good week.

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  18. I, too, wonder why that lovely frame and precious photo are not with the family of that child. Lucky find for you, in any event! It is a little treasure.

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  19. I have always wanted one of those little leather frames! And I am borderline obsessed with old photos! I once found a entire lot that had obviously come from an estate sale...it made me so sad that I had to hunt the family down...
    I posted it
    HERE .
    I love how it looks against the blue china!

    m ^..^

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  20. Hi Mary, you have done a great job with this photo and the display of it. I think about my own treasured photos and frames and sure hope someone hangs onto them. Love the blue china. Blessings
    QMM

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  21. So sorry your aren't feeling well. So hope you feel better so you can enjoy the new week.

    Your pictures are just beautiful.

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  22. I have saved old family photos not knowing who is in them but they still are lovely.

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  23. Mary, Such lovely sentiment. Thank you for remembering and giving these souls a purpose. You are so kind. Thank you for hosting mosaic Monday!
    Lisa SAll

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  24. Your mosaic is beautiful. I always feel so sad when I see photos of people in these shops...seems like lost relatives!!!

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  25. *sigh* thats so grogeous!!

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  26. I did not contribute to this post this week, but I do know what you mean about the photos - So many of them look so sad!
    Have a great week.
    Glenda

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  27. I also love old photos but when I see them at estate sales I wonder why no one wanted to keep them...
    Have a great week!

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  28. Such a precious miniature, presented so beautifully.

    Thanks so much for hosting. I haven't joined your party in a long while.

    - The Tablescaper

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  29. Every foto has his story behind. Sometimes life passes so quick, at the end it has been only a short moment. Have a nice week Mary!

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  30. It's important to remember to label photos - although in the digital age labeling takes on a whole new meaning and is so much easier to do!

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  31. A precious photo photographed on the blue & white. Another work of art Mary!

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  32. Mary,

    I have many of these photos and some are actually labeled. Many are not though and I wonder who they were. I can remember my grandmother treasuring the album I have. Nice post.

    Have a healthy week.

    Carol

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  33. Lovely old photo, and nicely set on that blue and white plate. It reminds me of a Swedish film I watched on TV only last week... It's about a working class woman in the early 1900s who wins a camera in a lottery and grows to love it... Here's an IMDb link that will tell you more:
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0961066/

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  34. "To live an examined life", such a profound thought and one that will stay with me for some time I think.
    Thanks for being such a gracious hostess, to us all, each Monday.

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  35. What a lovely treasure to have found! When we find old photographs, it is always fun to imagine who those strange souls were. You've created such a beautiful mosaic.
    ~Sue

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  36. I had read that they didn't smile because they had to hold their pose and remain quite still, up to a full minute (long exposure times back then). It was too hard to hold a smile, hence the usual sad stiff look. (I'm sure bad teeth was a factor too, as another poster mentioned.)

    I have bought old frames with pictures still in them. I too wonder about the people in the photos and how the photos end up in a flea market. Kind of sad.

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  37. I love old photographs. I think it is fun to make up my own stories about them. Beautiful mosaic! Carla

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  38. beautiful find - i've never seen a locket like that

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  39. Your photos are so beautiful, Mary. The diminutive photo is charming. I hope you're feeling better. Happy Mosaic Monday and thanks for hosting.
    Best to you,
    Lynn at Cottage and Creek

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  40. How pretty I loved the way you shot the photo's on the lovely Blue dishes. Thanks for sharing. BTW there really is mail today. Come over to see me. It's really true!
    Have a good day,
    Sherry

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  41. Mary, that little book is so precious. Beautiful photos and thoughtful words....

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  42. My first time playing along! I hope I did everything correctly.

    http://blog.rearting.net/2011/01/monday-mosaic-2011-01-17.html

    *waves to all*

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  43. It's odd to see those early photographs of people not smiling but it was explained on some television program about early photography that the process of taking a photo took so long that people just grew tired of smiling. I wonder if that's true?

    What a lovely way to display treasured framed photos for this meme!

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  44. I like your thought about living an examined life, Mary. I would like to think that, if many years from now, someone came across an old photo of me, they would find a noble story behind that photo. Thank you for this inspiration!

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  45. How precious that frame and photo...I'm always jealous of peoples old photos because neither of my parents had a lot of family photos to pass down. They both came from large families with 11 and 12 siblings so I'm guessing that there was just not enough money to take family photos. Be sure to check out my new Honey Pump if you get a chance...I love it! Thanks for hosting as always Mary and hope that you have a wonderful week. Fondly, Roberta

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  46. Hope you are feeling better Mary! Love old photos too...especially snapshots...what stories they tell...

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  47. I always adore your Mosics Mary. How very very vintage and I love this one.
    Stay warm.

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  48. You are so clever, Mary. Another truly beautiful offering.

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  49. Mary, I too wonder about the lives of the people in old photos...food for thought....lovely photos as usual....smiles.

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  50. Mary what a beautiful post! That miniature picture frame is adorable...what a wonderful treasure to find. I find myself doing the same thing when I see old photo's in antique stores. Your post has made me think of some of the photo's I have of my Nana who was a surgical nurse in England during WWI. I think I may do a post about them one of these days. Thank you for making me think of them and for sharing your wonderful find. I'll be back to Mosaic Monday soon. Get well soon.
    Maura :)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment. I love to hear what you have to say!