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GU photos from 1944


Tim Lewis

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These are, indeed, fascinating photos which I'd not seen before.

It's interesting to note the photographer's attitude to photo-journalism: 

"I was enough of a journalist to realize that you invent a good picture. I was the pioneer of the made-up picture. The faked, invented picture."

The same goes for the excellent, but posed black and white photos taken of boats (among them Owl) in Regent's Dock taken by Cyril Arapov

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What fabulous photos, I love black and white photography. Interesting to see some of the women wearing trousers, as I believe before the war this was virtually unheard of.

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I'd say about half of these have been used in various places before, but I have certainly not seen the whole extensive collection, which is rather wonderful, isn't it?

They give a fair insight into how the boats were actually worked, I would say.

The apparently strict enforcement of the (proper) use of side ponds is interesting - this must have slowed them down a fair amount.

I can't put my finger on exactly why Audrey's choice of footwear doesn't seem typical of the period, but it wouldn't be my first choice for standing on one gate whilst I kicked the other one open!

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With the possible exception of one or two, most of those girls were on the cut for quite a short time, though their levels of education led them to record much of their experiences for which we should be grateful. Since those days, a great many have been on the cut for a lot longer, but mostly not carrying - and not under the threat of bombs falling. What would we now know of those families long gone and their way of life had they too recorded all they experienced. We have some memories handed down by word of mouth, and know of the hardships endured, and I wonder if many seeking a simpler lifestyle could actually give up their houses full of gadgets, conveniences, and collected accoutrements. They were simpler times that didn't need a rule book and regulations to follow for blowing your nose or changing a bulb, nor a computerised database linked to cameras and portable devices for checking your credentials, or fighting some fantasy war game - that is what many would wish to leave behind. But that's a older generation talking.

Beautiful images. I wonder if in colour they would have been so attractive? Perhaps they would be more - ordinary? Less nostalgic?

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Excellent & nostalgic photo's.  Never seen photos before of towing from the mast with what appears to be "snubber" fixed to the "luby" & not using running blocks rather than the standard fixing on the front 'T' stud which was the normal set up.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wonderful set. As for the shoes, she is wearing a skirt and appears to have had her hair done, possibly all for the photographer's sake?

I don't remember seeing that poster before, is there an original anywhere? I would have thought that a reproduction would be popular.

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  • 3 years later...
1 hour ago, Athy said:

How long do they usually last?

As long as whoever created the link want to!

1 hour ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

It's a three year old link!

 

 

 

Possibly these:

 

https://artsandculture.google.com/search?q=David+Scherman+Canals

Edited by Tim Lewis
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Thanks very much for the link, a very interesting collection. The one of the lady straddling the two partly-open lock gates would give modern H&S a fit! I suppose the photographer, presumably American, would have brought his own supplies of film and not have been subject to wartime rationing: my parents told me that wedding photographers were only allowed to take three photos.   I understand that the UK used to get all its pre-war supplies of film base from Gevaert, and after the fall of Europe it took time to get fresh supplies from the US under lease-lend. 

Edited by Ronaldo47
Typo
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5 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said:

Thanks very much for the link, a very interesting collection. The one of the lady straddling the two partly-open lock gates would give modern H&S a fit! I suppose the photographer, presumably American, would have brought his own supplies of film and not have been subject to wartime rationing: my parents told me that wedding photographers were only allowed to take three photos.   I understand that the UK used to get all its pre-war supplies of film base from Gevaert, and after the fall of Europe it took time to get fresh supplies from the US under lease-lend. 

Interesting - but surely Ilford (and possibly other firms) were making roll films and plates in the U.K. by that time.

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Not sure what the American Press Corps were using at that time, but Scherman was a very prolific photographer for the magazine which he later became editor for. There are well over 300 photos in this 'shoot' and only 6 of them were used in the magazine. Most of those were scenics rather than personnel too. He obviously had a team of assistants with him and apparently their biggest problem was the lack of Coffee!

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4 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

Thanks very much for the link, a very interesting collection. The one of the lady straddling the two partly-open lock gates would give modern H&S a fit! I suppose the photographer, presumably American, would have brought his own supplies of film and not have been subject to wartime rationing: my parents told me that wedding photographers were only allowed to take three photos.   I understand that the UK used to get all its pre-war supplies of film base from Gevaert, and after the fall of Europe it took time to get fresh supplies from the US under lease-lend. 

The straddling the gates is where she is pushing the one gate open whilst standing on the other one, a technique I regular use.

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