film

Do you vaguely remember me mentioning a documentary module that I was taking this semester at uni? 

Well, the deadline for handing in the documentary (and an essay about it) is tomorrow. So, I thought it only fair to give it its premier on these fair pages.

So, with no further gilding the lily and with no more ado, I give you: my film.

Monday's Faces

Quite a formidable-looking woman isn't she? Something very kind about her face though. She looks quite matronly, as though she'd know what to do in a crisis, and her hair and clothes are very practical, as though she's used to scooping up any number of children and generally keeping order. 

This is quite an unusual picture compared to the others, I think, because she doesn't appear to know that it's being taken – or, at least, hasn't been given much time to prepare for it, as she seems to be still walking out of the building. Maybe someone told her that she was having her picture taken that day, and she was grumblingly on her way out, thinking that she "didn't have enough time for such nonsense."

Monday's Faces (somewhat belated)

What a sweet chap. I love his cap – and pipe for that matter. I accidentally (yes, really) had a puff of a pipe when I was about 7 – the foulest thing I've ever tasted (except for beetroot). Still, they do look dapper.

I'm trying to work out why he was having his picture taken there – it almost looks like someone caught him walking down the street and asked him to smile. Maybe he just wanted his picture taken outside his house? Who knows? Looks like he's fairly dressed up though – maybe the morning of his wedding? Capturing his last moments as a free man? I kind of hope that's the case, I like the thought of him being so happy at the thought that his single days are over.

Monday's Faces

I love this one (realised I say that about all of them, but doesn't make it less true). She really really reminds me of Marilla Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables – who is, needless to say, a legend.

I wonder why she's wearing black, maybe she's a widow? And, more mysteriously, I wonder what the paper is that she's holding. She looks pretty pleased, whatever it is. I love her smile, she looks very grandmotherly I think. Trying to work out where she's from is also pretty tricky. Something makes me feel like it could be somewhere in America or Canada, not sure why. Something about the combination of that curtain and the wallpaper. Can't put my finger on it though.

So, pretty much a real-life Marilla Cuthbert. Not a bad accolade.

Monday's Faces

She's gorgeous, isn't she? I love her hair and clothes, she looks so stylish. I love that she's called Dorothy, I reckon her friends called her Dot.

I think it's so interesting that so many of these old portraits are postcards - I wonder how that worked? Did people get a batch made, or just one-offs? I wonder how much it cost - was it just for special occasions or did everyone get them done?

I love her smile, just a hint. Mona Lisa's got nothing on this lass.

Monday's Faces

Just look at this lovely little lad - what a poppet! Thought I'd post this one today seeing as it's such gorgeous weather outside; makes me feel summery. It's quite tricky trying to guess where he might be, but I reckon he's just visiting the seaside for the day. Looks like a city lad to me. And look at his little face, "glee" personified.

My favourite bit of this picture, though, is his little boat on a string. It makes me wonder where he got it. Did he buy it in a little seaside shop? Something makes me doubt it. I reckon he brought it with him specially, and had it in his lap all the way to the seaside on the train. You know when you see something so beautiful, or so lovely, it kind of makes you feel like your heart might break? Well, that little boat is a heart-clencher.

Monday's Faces

This one's so lovely. Even though neither of them look like either of us, it reminds me of my dad and I. It makes me wonder where they were going when they stopped for their picnic. Me and Dad used to go to the Lake District for the occasional weekend when I was younger, and we used make stops for what became affectionately known as "car picnics". 

In fact, I used to kind of hope that it'd rain so that we could have a car picnic instead of one outside because, somehow, sitting in the car all cosy while the rain battered down on the roof and windows seemed much more of an adventure. It was a comforting, warm space with just me and Dad out in the middle of nowhere with our Scotch eggs and apple turnovers. Perfect. I like to think that the girl in this picture was feeling something of the happiness I felt at those times.

Monday's Faces

I bloomin love this one. I've had to up the contrast a wee bit because it was so faded - so faded, in fact, that the guy on the stall gave me it for free. It was just too good to miss. 

I didn't think much of it until I read what it said on the back: 

The bear and I. 

I flicked back to the picture and realised that, indeed, it was a bloke with a gun and a dead bear. What I want to know is, where on earth was this picture taken? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that it was taken in the UK given the unlikelihood of a picture from elsewhere finding its way onto a market stall in Tynemouth, but maybe I'm wrong?

My favourite thing about this picture is the caption on the back. Dead simple, no explanation, no beating around the bush, grammar-perfect. What a lad.

Monday's Faces

So, haven't done a Monday's Faces post in about oh, I don't know, a billion years. 

So after a quick meander in Tynemouth Market and a quick browse of the ol' photo stall I came across a few new beauties and, making the most of the Canon bombshell while I can, I took pictures of the lot of them so that I can blog them over the next few weeks.

Well, how could I resist this lovely little lad? By the looks of it, it seems that he's on a farm somewhere (I reckon those buildings behind him are barns of some sort) - I love his dungarees and the way he's got his hands in his pockets, like he's copying his dad. Such a serious little face, and he looks so adult. Except for his little sandals. Cute!

More mysterious, though, is the writing on the back of the picture. If who can guess? And who's giving the picture away? The handwriting looks fairly old, and it's written in fountain pen by the looks. It reminds me of that game you play at school, where you all bring in a baby picture and you try to guess who's in each picture. Maybe it was something like that? Seems unlikely.

I love the mystery of it though, just that little note on the back: no name, no date - looks like something from a film. Love it!

glorious

So today I had my hands on this tasty SLR, courtesy of the aforementioned documentary module I'm studying, and went off to the also aforementioned Tynemouth Market to film my first few shots "on location". 

Needless to say, I am now utterly in love. I've never used an SLR before so after a quick peruse of the "quick and dirty guide to shooting" we were given I just went for it, twirling various dials and flicking switches to my heart's delight. And, well, it's a revelation. Such good quality, such a good zoom. It's fab. And, tragically, well out of my price range... A quick recce on Amazon revealed that to own this beautiful piece of kit I'd have to fork out something in the region of £600. I weep.

However, I fully intend to make the most of this little beauty while I have the chance. I've got it until Monday evening then I'll have to book another slot. It's making me want to go out taking pictures too - it's a photographical dream! Ah man. One day.

some gems

Yum to Tynemouth Market! My room is gradually becoming a "collection"...

Monday's Faces

Found this one here at the weekend. After promising myself I wouldn't buy any more for a good while, I couldn't resist it.

I think the friends of the chap on the left would describe him as "indomitable."

the big date