LETTING THE PICTURE DO THE TALKING

 

In honor of the just released book “Talking Pictures” by Ransom Riggs of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” fame, I thought it would be both timely and fun to solicit captioned photos as our newest photo blog entry.  Riggs’ book is a groundbreaking exploration of the written words found on the front or back of snapshots. After this book, I don’t think any of us can look at such photos the same way again.  If the snapshot is about narrative and memory, those with captions just confirm that in an often humorous but sometimes more poignant way.  The book also reinforces the idea that the snapshot is an object, something which isn’t treated by the snapshooter as a sacred piece of visual imagery imbued with artistic import. The images shared by collectors in this blog were ones in which the original owners felt a strong kinship and were compelled to make even more their own by writing something heartfelt or funny on the front or back.  I have decided to let the photos speak for themselves and limit any words by the collector about their favorite photo pick for this blog entry.  These photos still talk to us, even though there are many years which separate the taking of the photo and their inscriptions from our age of digital conversations and photo sharing on Facebook.  The imagery and the accompanying words transcribed on the photo deal in emotions we know and understand and makes what we all strive to save and collect something powerful and, most importantly, something timeless and universal in its appeal.

Please note that you can increase the size of the image by clicking on it.  If you’d like to know more about any of the collectors, you can find biographies here.  The next post will be trick or manipulated images, in honor of  the “Faking It” exhibit now showing at  The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

From the collection of Jim Radke

From the collection of Thomas Harris

From the collection of Nigel Maister

From the collection of John Nichols

From the collection of Clare Goldsmith

 From the collection of Casey Waters

 From the collection of Erin Waters

From the collection of Joel Rotenberg

From the collection of Mark Rotenberg

From the collection of Stacy Waldman

From the collection of Orla Fitzpatrick

From the collection of Nicholas Osborn

From the collection of Pat Street

From the collection of Peter Cohen

From the collection of Robert E. Jackson

From the collection of Ron Slattery

From the collection of Sabine Ocker

 From the collection of Shari Wilkins

From the collection of Barbara Levine
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From the collection of Mark Sullo