did i see you planting seeds in the forest?

The 4th October is the date in 1941 that Norman Rockwell launched a series of Saturday Evening Post covers depicting Willie Gillis. Rockwell described Gillis as “an inoffensive ordinary little guy thrown into the chaos of war”. Willie made his debut carrying a food parcel and suddenly everyone wanted to be his friend.
This is a sepia saturday post.


I remember hearing on the radio recently about the birth of the movies.When the first "film story" was made. It was about how they never imagined that "Stars" could never possibly be  created.
Quite the reverse infact.It was thought that the audience would never accept the same actor in a different role/movie ever again...Once seen in one context,an actor would never be able to appear again the another film.
 Part of me (the part that thinks about Jennifer Aniston ) regrets this didn't happen.....
 I was thinking about the prompt image to this week's topic. I am going for "facial expression". I wonder when the first photographic smile was.?Not an in situ smile :but a "say cheese "smile. The first time someone realized that this smile would stay fixed forever.The first time someone realized they could be surrounded by shit,but lie about it!
 All very existential really.The first time we smiled at an unknown stranger...
 A possible  problem of course is how to  stop it once you've started.
Look at those tragic celebrities and politicians we see around us today.[The false existential smile that stays fixed forever...I am thinking here about Batman's Joker.....]
So here then dear sepians  is a nice (and relatively rare?) example of a group of people fair oblivious to the camera.
Yes.They know the reason they are there is to be photographed.But they dismiss the camera and  smile at each other instead.We are dismissed!

SILVER RAVEN:Gene Clark - guitar, vocals Michael Clarke - drums Richard Manuel - piano, vocals Rick Danko - bass, vocals Blondie Chaplin - guitar, vocals Evansville, IN; May 15, 1985
(.try to listen towards the end of the audio .Nice to hear both Gene's speaking voice & his mention of Rick Danko......).
Meanwhile...today.....In the Scottish Free State ,lives a rather fine band called Young Fathers.I am really pleased they have been nominated for this year's MERCURY.
 No doubt the winners will turn out to be a group of public schoolboys from Surrey.But never mind ,its brought Young Fathers some richly deserved attention.Remember,I've been blathering on about them for over a year here .They are rather special. (although the american interviewer in this video is a bit of a tit...)
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Comments

Kristin said…
The man in the upper left looks like he's smiling at us. I wonder if there was a photo taken before or after this when the group was more posed. I do like it like this but I wish your mother-in-law (?) hadn't had her hand covering her face.
20:40
tony said…
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20:48
tony said…
Brian took maybe 6 different shots of that group.I actually chose the one of Jean covering her face cos it amuses...however her are 3 different versions......

[1]
[2]
[3]
20:50
Barbara Rogers said…
I respect you, and your family pics, but have a very different taste in music...thus perhaps I have never heard of a "Mercury." I do however, love the more candid photos when people are just being themselves!
22:02
tony said…
Sorry B.R. I get confused who my audience is sometimes!Forgive Me. "MERCURY"= the The Mercury Prize is a UK Music Annual [Oscar-like] Affair that 6 artists are nominated ,then the shit one wins (I.m sure you have similar in The States?)
22:12
La Nightingail said…
Every one of those pictures is great but for different reasons. For instance in the #1 extra pic, the middle baby's expression with wide startled eyes is priceless! Something really funny must have gotten to your mother-in-law in your chosen picture. It appears the young man behind her might have said something? Dad seems to be laughing heartily, too. :)
22:59
tony said…
La Nightingail, to give some context [here] are all my father-in-law's photos from the 50's. Its odd for me.I wasn't there at the time ...'didn't know them then time but (say50%?) i met when I was much older.....I,m kind of playing "catch-up" myself!
23:15
Postcardy said…
I like the variety of expressions in the photo.

Whenever I hear any kind of music play automatically on a blog, I look for the stop button or turn off the sound on my computer.
01:20
tony said…
I have to admit I do the same (unless its my own blog,of course!) a bit of a bleeding pain.Innit!
01:47
Anonymous said…
Goodness me. Not a Jennifer Aniston fan !! But I do love that first photo. When being arranged in family groups there is rarely any respect for the photographer. I can almmost hear the comments that are being made.
12:32
Bob Scotney said…
Super family group obviously at ease with one another.
13:24
Boobook said…
That's a pretty sharp photo for an inside shot. I like the contrasts and lighting and the informality.
13:56
Unknown said…
I love the family shot -- and the three variations! Laughing, eyeing each other, etc. Great pictures, Tony!
17:54
Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue said…
As a person with the worst possible "cheese" smile, er rictus, more appropriately, I enjoyed your thoughts. The photo is wonderful. A real treasure. Good take on the theme too.
19:03
Alex Daw said…
The baby in the middle of the front row really looks like a doll. I had to look twice to make sure he was real! Always love listening to new music. Thanks.
05:54
Little Nell said…
That’s a great candid family shot and judging by the shadows your F-I-L used some extra lighting.

Re unexpected music on blogs, or noisy videos that start automatically, they’re more than a bleedin’ pain! They actually make me jump and wake the sleeping household when I am trying to do a bit of quiet and innocent browsing.
16:53
tony said…
"SORRY NELL" [the gentle author shouts loudly]
Do you have an image in your head of who your average 'reader' is? I always assume you all to be sat in the middle of a 60's Free Festival.You come to open my blog....And out blasts the music! 100000 people then sing n sway along to my groovy toons.... as they carry you shoulder-high from the gig in triumph.
Obviously I am wrong.
So I will mend my ways! It was a novelty ,but no more...:)
20:00
tony said…
Silence! Ive changed my audio arrangements! Visit [here] for details of what i have done.
22:00
Jofeath said…
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04:52
Jofeath said…
Great natural looking shots, all of them. The music is interesting although not my style, and I must say that 22 minutes is too long when you are trying to catch up on numerous blogs. Does the music have any connection to the photos?
04:54
tony said…
Jo, for me the music (always!) has a connection ! But the length,yes, is "optional" I know!
My general point is that sepia photography can be (a) related to other /contemporary experiences & (b) the 'meaning' of a photo can change.
Poetry not History!
10:42
Little Nell said…
Well done Tony - the rest is silence - as Bill Shakespeare once said!
18:37
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