Old colour photos

[Tom]

I'd normally put stuff like this in the Imaging forum, but not many people visit these days, so here it is:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/

Basically, its a site that contains many photographs by a Russian chap called Prokudin-Gorskii. Nothing special about that you might think, however this guy took photographs in monochrome, but used a combination of filters in front of the lens to produce colour images from 3 filtered negatives. Very simple to do (you can do it today if you have some coloured gels), but very effective.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_7238__01602_.jpg

What gets me is how these photographs make the subjects seem so alive, and real. Old monochrome images automatically make you think 'old, dead, forgotten', but somehow, looking at the images he took, everything suddenly comes to life.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87-8001.jpg

They all appear to pose as you would expect for an old photograph, but the fact that its in colour kind of confuses me. Its also as if Hollywood never happened.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_7214__01578_.jpg

Amazing.

 

[GekuL]

Very interesting. As you say, those images feel more real and it's strange to have a good view of such a different time. Good find

 

[pcg79]

wow that relaly is good. i especially like the last one; like you said, they pose like in a B&W photo but.. its in colour. very bizarre.

 

[Ch3tan]

Nice Tom.

Your making my picture taking finger itch.