Whenever I see a photo in black and white it seems surreal.
I'm not sure why I feel this way. I see a black and white photo and it seems like it is set up. A staged image. Something that never really existed. It reminds me of a still from a silent film or some other old movie. Y'know, before Technicolor came along and enlightened all our lives.
In our world today, we are so used to seeing everything in High Definition or 3D. Unless we are looking at some movie or television show that is obviously B-rated, everything looks like we could just reach out and touch it. It all feels so real sometimes.
Too real, at times.
Living in a society that says bigger is better makes things worse. The 56" HD TV sitting across from me looks like a window into another world. Most times, close-ups of the characters I am watching appear the size of a real person. Anything larger and the show is being acted out right in your living room!
Imagine my thoughts when I came across a posting regarding historical black and white photos shown in color. I was very curious!
I'll share the link with you:
41 Must See Colorized Historical Photos That Will Give You The Chills by rozin.abbas
*A quick warning: Not all are bad, but there are a few pictures that are a bit disturbing.
This is what hit me the most: Add color to the picture and it brings it right to your front door.
I can understand why some people do not like to watch the news. With everything in full living color, it's hard to forget that this is all happening now in our world. As a younger man, I wanted to forget what was going on in my own backyard. As I get older, I want to know a little bit more. In some regards, I'm fascinated by it.
Looking at these photos did the same thing for me. It's not like I didn't know these things actually happened. I've seen most of these photos before or at least photos like them. In my mind, they are all pictures and stories out of the history books. They are staged old-timey photos; little dioramas found in a museum. They are stories told by my parents and grandparents. The details are blurred and they happened a long time ago - long before I was ever born.
I had forgotten how long photography has been around. I should know better - I grew up outside of Gettysburg, PA. I've been to the Battlefield and the museums. I've seen the black and white photos of the battle scenes. They are history. They are long gone. It's like they never happened except for the stories and unreal scenes in black and white.
I know the Holocaust happened, though I never wanted to believe it. I've read some of Mark Twain's writing. I was taught that Abe Lincoln was the 16th President, was at Gettysburg, was assassinated.
I've seen Lincoln's top hat at the Smithsonian. It looked like a prop from a movie. Real, but not necessarily the real thing. Tom Sawyer is read in almost every school, but Mark Twain has never been interviewed on The Today Show. He's long gone - a legend never forgotten, but never seen by modern eyes. I've walked through the Holocaust Museum and, well...
Walking through the Holocaust Museum probably was the most realistic museum experience I've had. Some of the sights, smells and sounds really brought home that this was not just something out of the history books. This was definitely something that happened and wasn't just talked about.
But the pictures were still in black and white. It happened, but a long time ago. Before my memory; before I was born.
Just add color.
Suddenly, I can see the people as they really were. Mark Twain could have been sitting in the neighbor's backyard getting his picture taken. The car accident in DC could have happened on my way to work - in color, the buildings looked awful familiar. The car was a little old, but it's not the first time I've seen an antique on its way to a Collector's Show. Lincoln could have been waiting with Obama to get his portrait taken.
The men at the concentration camp could have been family.
Just add color.
Just add color and it is all suddenly real. Just add color and it all walks up to the front door and knocks. Just add color and you can hear the fiery explosion as the Hindenburg crashes to the ground. Just add color and you are there.
So which is better? Should they be remembered in black and white?
Just add color.
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