Sunday, December 27, 2009

Dad’s Photos #25

OK, you may ask how this is Dad’s Photos #25 when the previous installment was #22? I went back thru my records & found that my numbering has been a tad defective, & that I actually have had two more posts than I realized (it appears there were two posts each numbered 11 & 12). In any case, this is the final installment; the series has lasted a full year, with the initial Dad’s Photos being posted on January 4th. I do have some more old photos available, & I’ll be posting those as well, but this batch of pix brings us to an end of the specific photo album you see in the photo leading off the post.

As I’ve mentioned over the past few posts, my father seems to have lost his captioning inspiration toward the end of the album, so I can only guess at the context of these pictures. The last few may have been taken in Massachusetts, but he also worked in a restaurant in Newfane, VT, so that’s far from certain. As far as the flood pictures go, again, these could be more pictures from the hurricane of 38, but the area of Vermont where my father lived & where I grew up is in the Connecticut River’s flood plain, & the fact that they’re mixed in with other images I believe are from Vermont makes me think these all may be from his home state. The flood pictures easily could show parts of Westminster, VT that lie near the Connecticut River.

It’s been my great pleasure to make these photos available, & the fact that you have been so generous & enthusiastic about them has simply increased that pleasure many times over. My father would no doubt have been amazed to find that his work captured so many peoples’ interest & imagination.

Hope you enjoy these, & thanks again!

The Big Top! Looks like a real 3-Ring Circus

Unidentified flood photo. If you compare this with the fourth photo, you’ll notice a similar (or the same) step-like structure to the right; however, I can’t seem to figure how these two images might relate to each other spatially

More of the flood—this landscape seems very much like southeastern Vermont

Although it’s a bleak scene, this is one of my favorites among my father’s photos

Unidentified cook in unidentified kitchen


Waiter, likewise

What’s cooking?

Another view of the kitchen






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10 comments:

  1. That flood picture with the GULF sign and house in the middle is very Walker Evans-like (one of my favorite photographers). Thanks for posting.

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  2. Hi Lana: Glad you liked that one; & always glad to see you drop by.

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  3. I'm so sad to see the series over but I would like to thank you for it. It's been such a pleasure looking at your Dad's photographs. I looked forward to all the installments as you posted them.

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  4. Hi Raquelle: You're welcome, of course--I recall that you posted something about your dad in part because of this series & that was great. But I really want to thank all the folks like yourself who've been so enthusiastic about his photos. That has meant a lot to me!

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  5. Imagine what your dad would think about his photographs being out in cyberspace! The GULF sign photo is splendid, but the cook and waiter photos are intriguing. There must be a story there. Maybe they were the ones that kept everyone fed while the flood raged -or they cooked for the circus. Thank you for sharing your father's story, John. I look forward to the next series.

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  6. Hi Sandra: & thanks! My father would be thrilled by so many folks seeing his photos. I do think his photos often seem "narrative"; he was quite a story teller. Between this winding up & the Weiser River Pillow Book series ending this week, we'll have some big scheduling decisions, but we're working on it!

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  7. I really like the flood pic with the Gulf sign, as well!

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  8. Hi Willow: It's definitely a keeper! Thanks.

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  9. The first photo made me think of ice-fishing cabins. It was only when I saw the second that I remembered it was a flood.

    I for one, am pleased to see a photo of the album that houses theses treasures!

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  10. Thanks Kat--I did think the album should make an appearance!

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