© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Vintage Photographs and Photography

Read more about the article Braye Park panorama 1966

Braye Park panorama 1966

I've a soft spot for panoramic views. They are so inclusive of detail, compared to single frame shots that are generally highly selective of subject matter. We frame our single shots to cut out clutter and deliberately incorporate the most subjectively picturesque elements we can see. With 360-degree panoramas we can't really do that - or at least not to the same extent. We choose where we stand, but then take in all that can be seen as we turn and fire the shutter. Panoramas can be awkward to take. They certainly were in times gone…

Continue ReadingBraye Park panorama 1966
Read more about the article Some odd pieces of photographic history

Some odd pieces of photographic history

Hunting among old photo collections and antique shops you can find many interesting relics of photographic processes long gone. Opalotypes, or "milk glass positives" The first time I saw an opalotype photograph I didn't know what to make of it. A large flat white plate of glass with a portrait of great fineness and beauty, it was a strange novelty. Since then I have seen several more, usually in estates of well-to-do families, and they still catch my eye. Also known as milk glass positives, these images were made using a variety of related processes that…

Continue ReadingSome odd pieces of photographic history
Read more about the article The joy of scrounging and the tales things tell

The joy of scrounging and the tales things tell

I've always been a scrounger, ferreting around in dark corners for the old and the interesting, hunting for odd and unusual stories. Here are a few bits and pieces gathered in my travels. The case of the flattened shell It's a German artillery shell case, cunningly crushed almost flat by some clever machine that has managed to leave the finished product oddly symmetrical. Not only that, when you view it side-on, it seems the flattened metal has the form of a strange malevolent face. On the bottom of the shell case you can read its pedigree:…

Continue ReadingThe joy of scrounging and the tales things tell
×
×

Cart