the power of a picture

Last week I finaly had some time to solve the issue I had with Blogger and the placing of pictures. Doing so, I realized that we live in a world were photographs and pictures are extremely important in the way we communicate. Especially when it comes to showing here at Blogger what we are working on, or how the miniature-endresult of a few nights of enthousiastic work has turned out. But not just Blogger, think about the way we look and how thats percieved. It's a very visual world.




As I was contemplating all of this I had to think about a series that I saw on the BBC (an Englisch TV broadcasting station) a few years ago; "The wonderful world of Albert Kahn" Albert Kahn (1860 - 1940) was a well-off pacifistic banker who realized the power of pictures. He saw it as a way to educate people about the diversety of other cultures, and therefor increase respect for eachother. At that time -we are talking 1903- color photography was invented by the Lumière brothers. By 1907 it was commercialy available. Beeing so fortunated as he was, and recognizing what a huge step forward color was, he then commisioned several photographers to take trips around the world. This action resulted in the biggest archive of early color photographs that still exists today.



The series made a big impact on me, because till then I only knew that world (say the 1910's till 30's) in black and white. Seeing pictures of that era in color made it so much easier for me to identify with what was in them. For example; the lady above is not Mrs Sidonie Gabrielle Colette, but could easily be my aunt in a play of her local theatre company with her own pug dog :-) As luck would have it the BBC decided to publish an accompening book about series.



I have bought it last week, because I feel that pictures have great power.

6 comments:

  1. I missed that series, even though I'm a big fan of the BBC, so thank you so much for sharing, Debora! I really love the first photo, except being very beautiful, everything in it is so big, it makes the girl seems like a little doll.
    And you're quite right about this being a visual world, so I'm very happy you have solved your Blogger problems, so we will be able to see more of your fantastic work!

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  2. Thank you for the hint. I love pics and these are incredible, they look so modern and up to date. I shall try to find the book.Rosanna

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  3. Naturally I find myself diving into the structural details of the buildings the girl is sitting in front of. I love that this one is in color although it is very subdued, just browns and gray with a touch of pale blue for the dress. Very much the values and colors of the dollhouse I am working on.

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  4. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures. It is such treat to pop over to blog land and have a feast for the eye. The world is so much more beautiful today after going through some of the pictures I have seen today and some of them are here :).

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  5. It is indeed a visual world. I too missed this! Hmm, but it sounds intriguing *ruthie

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  6. Pubdoll, Blogger kept me of the workbench but it's solved! Some of the photographers sent out, had an eye for beauty aswell for the subject. I guess BBC4 has it on the roll if I read the website right.

    Rosanna, look out for it, I think you will love it.

    Karin, As every technique has it's own characteristics, patatoostarge gives this range of colors. Indeed there is só much to see and focus on in these pics...

    Sans, Do enjoy the beautifull things that live has to offer! If that means these pics, your welkom!

    Ruthie, Sorry you've missed it, but luckely they've made the book. And perhaps BBC4 will broadcast it?

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