I was walking to my bus on East 23rd Avenue in Seattle when I saw one of those disposable, cardboard and plastic cameras laying by the sidewalk. It was the kind that wedding planners pass out for the Brides Memory Book. This one was laying in the mud and from the looks of the cardboard "Body" it was well used. I thought well, it probably has snaps of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Aunt Sues Tupperware Party, and little Bobbies High School Graduation, and there were about 6 frames to go.....we're waiting to finish the roll before we send it to the drug store, don't want to waste any film! I looked around and being alone I dropped it into my pocket. You can see some of the mud around the lens and the battered cardboard cover.
I thought about what might be in the camera for a while. Wondering what the right thing to do was. I thought it would make a good post about "Found Images", or "Mystery Snaps"or something. I dropped it off at my local RiteAid 1 Hour lab. These are three of the shots from the camera.
Who are these people? The child is the same in the three shots, but there are two different women. They seem to be classic family snap shots, is this a family? A modern family, an extended family, a melded family? Are the two women the parents ? The firs shot is a classic snap shot pose, "Here we are, smile for 'Nanna". Who is the photographer, the other woman, the Dad, a friend, maybe 'Nanna herself. I like the second one because it is typical in that the subject is small and there is all the background, "...if your pictures aren't good enough, get closer". The last is good in the playfullness, let's make a face for daddy sort of thing.
The three people seem to be happy and healthy, or are these really "Snap shots" of a "Happy Life" with no connection with reality. Does the camera lie ? Are these abstract images. What is real about them. Is the life depicted real life ? Found camera, found pictures, found lives ?
Authors disclaimer; the four photographs above, are not my work. They are the only photographs on this blog that are not the sole creative work of the author. As the "Finder" of these images I feel free to respectfully use them in this context. I claim no ownership or authorship of these images. I do not hold any persons depicted in these images up to a ridicule or judgement.
