24 December 2008

Scanning the past

What a day!

After we arrived at Pawleys I asked my dad about a specific photograph he made on Christmas Day 1954. I have a copy of it which has turned sepia-like over the past several years and I wanted to find a way to replace it. During the day he provided me with a plastic container the size of a shoebox, a box remarkably containing hundreds and hundreds of negatives. After a brief search through what were obviously the oldest envelopes, success!

That high moment was followed by several hours (interruped by meals and deliberate and much needed times-out) of struggle along a learning curve during which we, my dad and I, mastered the process of scanning negatives. Here is proof our our success in the form of the image I so wanted to reproduce.

This photograph was made the Christmas I was one year old, making me about 15 months. My mother is watching me play with a marvelous gift: a stuffed dog my dad helped me name George. Isn't she giving me an "I've got your number" look? By the way, I still have George all these years later, 54 years to be exact!

Of course, I couldn't not continue exploring that box of bounty. Today we practiced our techinque. There simply was not enough time to scan everything that caught my eye (translated: captured my heart). But, I know what I'll be doing on the next visit!

Fast forward a number of years and this is Joyce and me at the Rocking Tree at Brookgreen.









Going back in time, added to the mix here is Paul who was born in December of 1957. We look as though we like him pretty much.

The scanner's a rest now and so are we all. Such satisfying accomplishments should bring on good sleep.

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