(circa 1961,
thrift store find)
i heard
somewhere
(reference unknown)
that
the youngest child
is usually
the one
who is
obsessed
with history-
in particular
with
documenting
the family
and taking
photographs.
perhaps
this i because
we were
left out
of a part
of our own
family history...
so much happened
(or so it seems)
happened
before me...
there was
a time when
my family lived
in another
home
i never saw...
there was a time
when
my grandparents,
that i never knew,
were alive...
none of these
things i remember
in any detail...
so maybe this
i why
i am obsessed
with photographs...
obsessed
with the past.
(circa 1964,
dad bought in russia-
a true lomo)
my siblings
have always
joked about
my constant
need
to document
and likened
me to
candy jernigan.
an artist who was
"a dedicated collector
of unusual evidence"
she collected
dust during
her visit
to paris...
crack vials
in her walks
through NYC...
i can relate.
i have a poor
memory
and
want
to remember
everything.
i want
evidence.
(circa 1966,
from fpea)
so
it was
so hard
for me
(among other
reasons)
not to be
at the birth
of my nephew.
i know other
people take
photos
but i want
certain photos
to be taken...
moments
i want
remembered
for jonah...
for me.
those are never
the same
moments
as other
people
document.
my friend's
younger brother
died of cancer
when he
was in college...
and one
day he and
his other brothers
(who were all
artists)
spent a day
documenting
their sick brother
(before he
was really sick).
they wanted
to remember
everything
they could
about him.
evidence,
all of them
took
tons of photographs
that day...
what impressed
me most
was just
how different
each persons
photos were...
each person
had a
different moment
they chose
to remember...
to document.
as i would have
if i was in seattle
with little jonah
and his family.
(circa 2000,
best village find ever-
mint condition
for $5.99)
as
a consequence
of my need
to document
i have many
cameras...
(including camera
belt buckles,
bottom center)
some vintage
and
some practical.
so many cameras
that many
are even
stored
in my friend
fpea's attic
here!
one of my plans
after my exam
is to finally get
photos
all in albums.
nothing i like
better than
flipping
through
photo albums.
can't wait.
share your
strange
collections-
join flickr's
collection collective.
...................
friday at the
village
was once again
sparse.
my finds for friday:
1. vintage? wrap skirt
another
wrap skirt.
2. cardigan
i heart cardigans.
3. canvas bag
for stenciling.
....................
as promised...
the
teeny-tiny
late monday
give-away™:
for this week:
to keep
in theme
it will be
a camera.
the rule to claim
this item,
besides
the usual guidelines,
is instead of
a postcard,
please
mail me
a photo
taken
with this camera!
also
please pay
shipping.
to see
the camera
up for grabs,
go here.
go forth
and
document!
xo
20 comments:
where are the swingers? :)
oh how i LOVE LOVE what you say about documenting. ring ring ring true to me....
and that wrap skirt... phew!
i have
too many
polaroids!
they will have
their own
collection
collective!
i have a question or 2 for you:
do all your cameras work?
when you find them @ thriftstores or yard sales ,how do you know if they work?(if you want them in working order that is)
i am wanting a polaroid for me & my daughters to play around with (after seeing all your and other bloggers amazing photos) and i don't know what to look for.
in my family,my oldest & middle daughter document everything-middle seems to be content with letting them do all of it for her!
hey hildy...
don't have
your email...
but email me...
i have plenty of
extra polaroid
cameras
for you to play
around with...
i'll mail you one!
when buying
cameras:
1. (most important)
look inside
the camera back
to see if it's
clean... do parts
move (like rollers
where film sits)
2. if possible,
can you rewind
with the
rewind knob
(sometimes
it needs
a battery)
3. press the button
to take a photo...
it should click
and the shutter
should move
(unless it needs
a battery)
hope that helps!
oh,
and
yes
they
all work.
the trouble
(and you'll
find this
with polaroids)
is
finding film
for old
cameras!
Oh stop it already! so many cute cameras i can't stand it!
I'm convinced there are 2 kinds of people in the world:
Those (like my friend Peet) who can waltz into a thrift store (or op shop as we call them here in aus.) and emerge with a fully working bit of vintage fabulousness -that no one else would even notice- for under $10.
And then there's folk like me.
Who don't.
such an appropriate post for me as i just began a documentary studies class! :) your collections are the greatest. love the cameras and your words explaining why you collect them. xoxo shari
ps: do you have a favorite song from the cd yet?
so interesting...i think the oldest/youngest thing is true in my family (immediate and extended, actually) too. i'd never thought about it before. thanks for the new perspective.
and, fantastic camera collection! thank you for sharing it with us!
interesting perspective and great collection. i do think that the drive that i have to document my life and the lives of my family is related to being the youngest of three, though i haven't thought it about it in that way before!
great collection bug!
I'm partial to the turquoise Savoy pic ;)
I love how you describe documenting your life. It speaks so true to me. I have a tendency to remember things well but with my overactive imagination, I seem to alter the memory without even realizing it, so photographing everything keeps me clear! I will look at an old picture and think huh, that's what that really looked like! lol.
So are you really giving away working polaroids???
If you are willing to send me one, I will send you a treat back!
hugs, ash
p.s. a caterpillar pouch would be the best! we could call them pillar pouches! keep all your best grubs along side with you.
I´m just fainting and dying - you have the coolest collection!! a smena 8 and a leica and .... oh my god :)
love your thoughts on documenting - so beautiful!!
Beautiful thoughts - lovely collection! I think its so sad with the introduction of digitals...people (like me) become lazy about developing pics to put in the albums and i LOVE flipping through albums too!!!
I must find out about getting a polaroid!!! and join you talented girls..
Beautifully written. Being the youngest of 3, I can totally relate to this. And your camera collection? It RAWKS! :)
wonderfully written post, as usual - i love reading your blog! i've only recently become interested in picture taking - i used to be more of a document-by-writing person but my forays into knitting & spinning have made me much more interested in visual records. thanks for an inspiring post!
xo lilith
p.s. if nobody has claimed the camera yet i'd love it - i'm a big tarepanda fan!! :)
What you said about the youngest being obsessed with history and documenting must be true. There are 10 years between my sister and I - not only did they live in other homes they lived in other provinces. We often talk about how we had different parents growing up because they had relaxed by the time they had me (there is a brother between us - 6 years older than me). I got a camera when I was in elementary school and pretty much documented my life from that day on until I had a camera stolen in University and didn't get another one for a long time.
it is funny, but i think the oldest experiences this as well. i know that my brother (who is 13 years younger) has had so many experiences that i never ever had when my parents were still in their prime (read strict). it does feel strange to see pictures of trips or dinners that i wasnt even invited to. i guess thats what happens when you grow up. i hope you get to see jonah soon, and take lovely photos.
Wonderful post and beautiful pictures. Something fitting about taking pictures of cameras. I did a double take when I saw your older Canon - I think it's the model released just after mine (FT QL). They look so alike!
I am youngest.
I document.
You are on to something, here.
I am so glad that I found this site! I was looking for vintage cameras & found the one in this post. May I use it for a background for my myspace page? My collection is not as colorful!!!! I'll return for more reading b/c I can tell I will like this site!!!! I wish I knew how to flag my favorites but I never figured that out on blogger like I did w/ Xanga & My Space!!!
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