Nowadays, people take photos of anything and everything. Selfies, their food, pets, travel, random objects, and nothing in particular. The invention of the digital camera and mobile photography has made it uber easy to snap away somewhat nonchalantly at times. Our phone galleries and hard drives are filled to the brim with photographs. Sometimes four or five of the same thing.
But it wasn’t always like that. Back in the day, people didn’t have the luxury of whipping out their devices or a digital camera to capture a memory. They were a lot more intentional about what they used their rolls of film for, and how they executed the shots. There’s something precious about holding an actual physical photograph. Like a book, it has a feel, a smell, and certain characteristics that can only be picked up through time. It can almost transport you right back to the past as you hold a tangible piece of history in your hands. Even digital versions of old photos have the ability to stir up nostalgia.
If you’re a sucker for rare and interesting historical photos, you’re in for a treat. Bored Panda has put together a beautiful compilation of moments frozen in time, that we collected from the Old Historical Pictures Facebook group and the Historical Pictures IG page. They have a combined following of over 360,000 people, so they must be doing something right! Keep scrolling for a cozy trip down memory lane and don’t forget to upvote your favorites. Don’t miss the super interesting chat we had with Denise Levenick. She’s the founder of The Family Curator and spoke to us about preserving and digitizing old photographs and heirlooms.
#1 Budapest (1914). Photo By André Kertész
Image credits: historicalpics1
#2 From The Back Window, New York, 1915 – By Alfred Stieglitz
Image credits: historicalpics1
#3 Budapest, 1963 – From The Budapest Municipal Photography Company Archive
Image credits: historicalpics1
If anyone knows about handling and working with old photographs, it’s Denise Levenick. She’s a writer and researcher working with family photos, papers, and memorabilia. Levenick is also the founder of The Family Curator. We’re thrilled when she agrees to share some of her knowledge with Bored Panda during a super interesting interview.
“I began writing about family archiving on my blog, which led to magazine writing and eventually authoring two books on preserving and digitizing family heirlooms, How to Archive Family Keepsakes, and How to Archive Family Photos,” Levenick tells us.
“I’ve also taught courses on family archiving and digitizing at national genealogy institutes and presented lectures, seminars, and webinars worldwide. Currently, I am working on a personal family history focused on the life of my maternal grandmother.”
#4 Piccadilly Circus, London, 1954. By Cecil Beaton
Image credits: historicalpics1
#5 Canoeists In A Boat Cave, Wisconsin Dells, C. 1890-95. Photo By Henry Hamilton Bennett
Image credits: historicalpics1
#6 ‘Roman Bridge,’ Mosul, Iraq (1930s) Photo By Aurel Stein
Image credits: historicalpics1
Levenick tells us her passion for old photos, heirlooms and keepsakes was sparked as a child, and runs deep. “I was captivated by family history as a young girl when my grandmother shared old news clippings and photographs about her early life,” she revealed.
“She worked as a Harvey House waitress with the railroads and as a hotel maid to support her young daughter. After her death, I inherited a trunk filled with her letters and photos. Everything inside told a story about her life and family.”
#7 Passengers Watching Coin-Operated TVs In The LA Greyhound Terminal In 1969
Image credits: historicalpics1
#8 Lincoln Cathedral: From The Castle 1898. By Frederick H. Evans
Image credits: historicalpics1
#9 Glasgow, Scotland (1980). Photo By Raymond Depardon
Image credits: historicalpics1
Of course, we had to ask Levenick about the best way to store old, precious photos. “All photos should be stored in a clean and dry location, with moderate temperature and humidity. The best place is usually inside your home, away from light and heat,” she revealed, adding that a closet shelf or metal filing cabinet are good locations.
“Keep old photos inside an acid-free box or file folders, stored on their edge so the photos don’t rub against each other,” cautions the expert. “Plastic boxes are not always photo safe and can trap mildew causing moisture.”
#10 53rd Street And 7th Avenue, Manhattan, 1957
Image credits: historicalpics1
#11 Trollhättan, Sweden In The Early 1900s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#12 A Wooden Roller Coaster In Edinburgh Scotland In 1900
Image credits: historicalpics1
Just because you have a ton of old photos, doesn’t mean you need to keep them all. Sometimes, it’s okay to let go of a few. “Some people are eager to clear the ‘clutter’ and are tempted to throw away old family keepsakes. But old photos are a window to our ancestors’ lives, and documents like letters and diaries can put flesh on the bones of family stories,” says Levenick.
“Photos and photo albums are the number one heirloom that people do want to save. Keep the photos of family, friends, homes, autos, pets, events. Sort vacation photos and save the people pictures; toss the repetitive landscapes,” advises the expert. “It’s good to keep images that show progress as a kind of ‘Then and Now’ reference, but you probably don’t need to save dozens of cactus images. If you are short on space, scan photos and pass on the originals to a cousin.”
#13 View From Notre Dame, Paris, 1955. By Ernst Haas
Image credits: historicalpics1
#14 A Sunday Morning In North Aurora, Il Kodachrome Slide Taken By Clifford R. Illyes. 1951
Image credits: historicalpics1
#15 The Wooden Sibley Breaker, Pennsylvania, Built In 1886 And Destroyed By Fire In 1906
Image credits: historicalpics1
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in the case of old photographs, they may reveal more than we realize. “Family history mysteries have been solved by studying old photos. Fashion, hairstyles, studio props, jewelry, and backgrounds all hold clues to when the photo was taken and the identity of the subjects,” says Levenick.
“An old photo of a family in front of their home might show a street address number that can help identify the time period of the family’s residence,” she adds. “Use family photos to show relative ages of the children, or to note when spouses enter or leave the family group.”
#16 ‘Mother And Children’ Spain (1920s). Photo By Antoni Arissa
Image credits: historicalpics1
#17 Sweden (1966) Photo By Sune Jonsson
Image credits: historicalpics1
#18 Public Telephone, Paris 1982. By Gilles Caron
Image credits: historicalpics1
Levenick says it’s important to preserve family heirlooms with the story of the keepsake. Without a story, it’s just “stuff,” she says. “Your son may not recognize your grandmother’s wedding ring when he sees it in your jewelry box; it’s up to you to share the story.”
“As the world becomes more and more digital, artifacts such as handwritten letters, printed photographs, and greeting cards are becoming rarer,” cautions the expert archivist. “Something as small as a simple handwritten thank-you note is evidence of penmanship and thoughtfulness.”
#19 “Mother’s Touch” Kentucky (1960). Photo By Warren Brunner
Image credits: historicalpics1
#20 Lunchtime, Paris, 1920s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#21 The Future Queen Elizabeth II Being Carried Up The Steps Of Balmoral Castle In 1927
Image credits: historicalpics1
Levenick is all about the genuine old-school… Memory keeps our ancestors with us and their stories make us stronger, she says. “Instead of purchasing new décor with a vintage vibe, use the real thing!” the expert tells us.
We ask her for some creative examples of how to use old photos and heirlooms, instead of just throwing them into a box. “Digitize old photos and have the images enlarged and printed on canvas-wrap wall art or pillows for your sofa,” suggests Levenick. “Group a collection of inherited cameras as interesting objects for your shelves. Join the movement to ‘Bring Back the Brooch’ and share your grandmother’s vintage jewelry with younger family members who might want to hear more about the original owner.”
#22 25.8 Inches Of Snow This Is A View Looking Down From 121st Street On Eighth Avenue On The Day After The Big Snowfall Of 1947
Image credits: historicalpics1
#23 Mother & Child, And It’s A Typical Day, San Francisco 1952. By Dorothea Lange
Image credits: historicalpics1
#24 Barcelona (1955) Photo By Ramón Masats
Image credits: historicalpics1
Before we let her go, we’re curious to know about Levenick’s personal old treasures. “One of my favorite heirlooms is a vintage Singer Featherweight sewing machine owned by my Aunt Frances,” she tells us. “She kept the little machine in like-new condition and left it for me with a sweet note from one quilter to another! I feel as though we’re sewing together whenever I use her machine.”
#25 Rescuing A Horse That Fell In The Canal, Amsterdam, 1929
Image credits: historicalpics1
#26 New York, 1938 . By Helen Levitt
Image credits: historicalpics1
#27 ‘father And Son’ Italy (1962). Photo By Elio Ciol
Image credits: historicalpics1
#28 Barber And Beauty Shop, Bedrock City, Rts. 64 And 180, Valle, Arizona, 1987
Image credits: historicalpics1
#29 A Photo From A Family Vacation In Gatlinburg, Tennessee In 1977. Taken On Parkway, The Main Street Through Town
Image credits: historicalpics1
#30 The Passing Of The Train, Nailsworth, At Dudbridge On 23rd August 1965
Image credits: historicalpics1
#31 San Francisco. Steep Hill, North Beach 1952
Image credits: historicalpics1
#32 A Large Crowd Watches The First Balloon Rise In A Balloon Race In Berlin Germany In 1908
Image credits: historicalpics1
#33 Santa Claus With Christmas Toys On A Sled Drawn By Turkeys, 1909
Image credits: historicalpics1
#34 Wentworth Street In London’s Eastend In 1908
Image credits: historicalpics1
#35 School Class, Paris 1956. By Robert Doisneau
Image credits: historicalpics1
#36 The Allier Road, 1929. By Roger Schall
Image credits: historicalpics1
#37 Street In Salzburg, Austria, Shops To Left, Building With Arched Doorway At End Of Street, Man And Dog To Left, Blurred Figure In Arched Doorway), C. 1890 – C. 1915
Image credits: historicalpics1
#38 Paris – 1875
Image credits: historicalpics1
#39 Hyatt Regency San Francisco, San Francisco, California – Built In 1973. Photo By John Portman Archive
Image credits: historicalpics1
#40 London Cafes In The 1980s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#41 Winter Landscape From Herstedvester’. Peder Mørk Mønsted. 1923
Image credits: historicalpics1
#42 Bridger Teton National Forest (Wyoming) Circa Early 1950
Image credits: historicalpics1
#43 Selling Chocolates And Sweets On The Street Kensington London ,1930
Image credits: historicalpics1
#44 Two Apsaroke Native Americans On Horseback Outside Of A Tipi In A Snow-Covered Forest In Montana In 1908
Image credits: historicalpics1
#45 The Sagrada Família, Barcelona, In 1905
Image credits: historicalpics1
#46 Paris In Color, 1920s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#47 Fishing Boat “New England” Covered In Ice, British Columbia, 1916
Image credits: historicalpics1
#48 Waterloo Station In The 1930’s. Taxis Are Queing Up On The Left Waiting For In Incoming Train. Enhanced And Colourised
Image credits: historicalpics1
#49 17 Year Old Pele In Sweden Before The World Cup In 1958
Image credits: historicalpics1
#50 University Of Illinois Frat Boys In The Comfort Of Their Apartment Circa 1910
Image credits: historicalpics1
#51 Dublin, C1896. Photo By John J Clarke
Image credits: historicalpics1
#52 Pioneer’s Cabin, 1865–66, Printed Ca. 1876. By Carleton E. Watkins
Image credits: historicalpics1
#53 An Unidentified Woman Taking A Selfie, Circa 1900
Image credits: historicalpics1
#54 Riding The Broughton Lumber Company Flume Boat In Washington State – 1930s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#55 Broadway And Fifth Avenue, 1950s. By Rudy Burckhardt
Image credits: historicalpics1
#56 Getting Some Ice Cream, Times Square, New York City, 1982
Image credits: historicalpics1
#57 Ice Skating At Night In Vienna, 1910. By Emil Mayer
Image credits: historicalpics1
#58 Battery Powered Scooter From 1918
Image credits: historicalpics1
#59 Alabama, 1940s. Photo By John Vachon
Image credits: historicalpics1
#60 Shakespeare’s Birthplace Before Restoration Photographed In 1850
Image credits: historicalpics1
#61 Amsterdam, 1901. By Bern Eilers
Image credits: historicalpics1
#62 Passengers On A NYC Municipal Ferry.. (Staten Island) In 1895 ( Library Of Congress)
Image credits: historicalpics1
#63 Angie Means Stands On A Giant Amazonian Water Lily Pad, Victoria Regia, In The Victoria Room At Pittsburgh’s Phipps Conservatory And Botanical Gardens In 1898
Image credits: historicalpics1
#64 Four Stunning Views Of London, All Photographed In The Summer Of 1857. The Construction Of Parliament; A View Down The Thames; The Bustle Of Piccadilly And Carriages In Trafalgar Square
Image credits: historicalpics1
#65 Tower Bridge Under Construction London 1889
Image credits: historicalpics1
#66 Cars On Cannon Beach On The Oregon Coast, 1960’s. By Ray Atkeson
Image credits: historicalpics1
#67 Roof, “Latin Quarter” Paris, 1926. By André Kertész
Image credits: historicalpics1
#68 Jerusalem During A Snowstorm, 1915. By Eric Matson
Image credits: historicalpics1
#69 The Jewish Market On New York’s East Side – Circa 1895
Image credits: historicalpics1
#70 Bell Street From High Street, Glasgow, 1868. By Thomas Annan
Image credits: historicalpics1
#71 Lecco, Italy (1968). Photo By Paolo Monti
Image credits: historicalpics1
#72 Hollywood Blvd In 1961
Image credits: historicalpics1
#73 The Tour Saint-Jacques. Paris, 1890
Image credits: historicalpics1
#74 Vespa Family, 1950s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#75 Relaxing By A Pool In California, 1940. By J. Baylor Roberts
Image credits: historicalpics1
#76 San Francisco, Chinatown ,early 1950s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#77 ‘A Man Leaning Over The Edge To Look Over In To The Crater Of Aso San Mountain’ Kyushu, Japan (C.1906) Photo By Herbert Ponting
Image credits: historicalpics1
#78 Taking The Tube In 1970s London – Via Peter Barron
Image credits: historicalpics1
#79 A Woman Stands At A Weathered Wooden Well, Nestled Amidst The Rugged Beauty Of The Appalachian Mountains In The Early 1930s
Image credits: Journey through Time
#80 Chilles 17-Pdr Tank Destroyer Uses A Building For Cover Near Goch, Germany – 20 February 1945
Image credits: Journey through Time
#81 The Ss Princess May Was A Steamship Built In 1888. The Ship Is Best Known For Grounding In 1910, Which Left The Ship Sticking Completely Out Of The Water. This Is One Of The Most Famous Shipwreck Photographs
Image credits: Weird, Fantastic and Odd Things
#82 Woodward Coal Breakers, Kingston, Pennsylvania, 1895
Image credits: Weird, Fantastic and Odd Things
#83 View Of The Pyramids, Eclipse Of The Sun Of August 30, 1905. By Gabriel Lekegian
Image credits: historicalpics1
#84 Miners Using An “Aerial Tram” To Descend Into The Kimberly Diamond Mine In South Africa, Ca. 1885
Image credits: historicalpics1
#85 Snowy Pier. Venice, 1920s
Image credits: historicalpics1
#86 Some Wonderful Colour Footage Of New York City In 1915
Image credits: historicalpics1
#87 Railroad Overpass At The Bingham Mine, USA, 1914 – Denver Public Library
Image credits: historicalpics1
#88 Detroit, 1960. By Balthazar Korab
Image credits: historicalpics1
#89 Sardinia, Italy (1956). Photo By Jean Dieuzaide
Image credits: historicalpics1
#90 Travelling In Style C 1910
Image credits: historicalpics1
from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/GVfQ0AL
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda