-
-
The End of an American Icon: Coney Island at Night
This is a remembrance to Coney Island as this American Icon nears its last days, one more victim of greedy urban gentrification. This piece includes a number of vintage photographs and two videos. One of the videos is the classic Edison short film, "Coney Island at Night."
This Edison short features the revolutionary night photography of Coney Island around the turn of the century, shot by the Edison Studio filmmaker Edwin S. Porter on June 25th, 1905. His camera caressed the lit-up amusement center with long sweeping movements, producing an eerie beauty. The smooth pans and tilts were a remarkable technical accomplishment at the time, given the fact that night scenes required much longer exposures. This is a remembrance to Coney Island as this American Icon nears its last days, one more victim of greedy urban gentrification. This... more -
Fritz Lang's Metropolis: A Contemporary Symphony of Fear
Fritz Lang's amazing 1927 film "Metropolis" has recently been described as a contemporary symphony of fear. "Metropolis" is a landmark in the development of film noir. The film's depiction of brutal capitalism and its message calling for the importance of compassion is hugely relevant today, although its crucial message is largely ignored by the rich and powerful.
This detailed article includes a number of stunning vintage photographs and video from Lang's amazing film, "Metropolis." Fritz Lang's amazing 1927 film "Metropolis" has recently been described as a contemporary symphony of fear. "Metro... more -
'Dose of Rock 'n' Roll, Pinch of Country'
As a fashion model working for Manhattan's Eileen Ford Agency in the '60s, Nancy Lee Andrews was the subject, among other pieces, of a LIFE magazine centerfold done by Milton Greene, the renowned photographer best known for his iconic images of Marilyn Monroe.
Before long, though, Andrews found herself taking photos of her own, dozens of which, including disarming candids of Bob Dylan and Dolly Parton, are on exhibit through August under the title A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll and a Pinch of Country at the Tennessee State Museum.
"I remember (Greene) looking over my first contact sheet and smiling, giving me praise and telling me, 'You've got an eye.' "
Greene's encouragement was critical to Andrews' evolution as a photographer, a hobby-turned-profession that really took off after she met and began a six-year love affair with Ringo Starr in 1974.
"Nancy Lee's life with Ringo was flamboyant and larger than life," said Lois Riggins-Ezell, executive director of the Tennessee State Museum. "It enabled her to capture a space in time in popular culture that few people were able to capture.
"She didn't make appointments with these people; she was having dinner with them and going to clubs with them," Riggins-Ezell added, referring to rock 'n' roll stars such as George Harrison, Donovan, Eric Clapton and Keith Moon.
Photographs of all four men, along with those of Harry Nilsson, Kim Carnes and a 2-year-old Angelina Jolie, appear in Andrews' exhibit at the museum. They also can be seen in her forthcoming book, A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll, to be published Sept. 1 by Dalton Watson Books. As a fashion model working for Manhattan's Eileen Ford Agency in the '60s, Nancy Lee Andrews was the subject, among other pi... more -
Bob Dylan’s Foto-Rhetoric: Hollywood Behind the Sign
Barry Feinstein, the rock 'n' roll photographer, was digging through his archives last year when he found a long-forgotten bundle of pictures, dozens of dark and moody snapshots taken of Hollywood back in the early 1960s. Tucked next to the photographs was a set of prose poems, written around the same time by an old friend: Bob Dylan. At the time that he originally arranged the group of photographs in the 60s, Mr. Feinstein had asked Dylan to come out to Hollywood and write some text to accompany the photographs.
The resulting collection is sometimes dark and dreary, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, and often just plain sardonic. There are vintage snapshots of movie props and roadside stands, topless starlets and headless mannequins. In one photograph a young woman, visible only from the ankles down, crouches on Sophia Loren’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, her hand pressed into Sophia Loren's footprints in the cement. In another photograph, a completely empty parking lot at 20th Century Fox is cynically marked with a large sign asking for "Talent."
The article includes a number of uniquely satirical vintage photographs from this collection, a video, music audio and a very intriguing photo-gallery.
If you've got just a bit of a dark side, have yourself a little look for a good chuckle!! Barry Feinstein, the rock 'n' roll photographer, was digging through his archives last year when he found a long-forgotten b... more -
Photo of the day: it was a dark and stormy night
Certain works of literature begin with a sentence that is so wretched, such a fantastically awful abuse of English writing that it should be taken out and shot. "It was a Dark and Stormy Night" is one of the most famously parodied ones.
The "Dark and Stormy Night" is Illustrated here by a wonderful vintage photograph of 1950s mid-Manhattan. Enjoy! Certain works of literature begin with a sentence that is so wretched, such a fantastically awful abuse of English writing that it sho... more -
Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Historic Cooperstown
Cooperstown was founded in 1786 by William Cooper, a judge and member of Congress. Several of the stone houses that William Cooper built in Cooperstown still remain standing in the village.
The son of William Cooper, James Fenimore Cooper, became one of the best-loved novelists in the United States with his “Glimmerglass” tales, including his most noted work, “The Last of the Mohicans.”
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was established in Cooperstown in 1939. It cemented Coopertown's place in American history.
A number of vintage photographs and three videos are included (a video of vintage photographs of Cooperstown; vintage film clips of Babe Ruth; and a documentary about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum).
Have a look at these historic pieces and enjoy yourself!! Cooperstown was founded in 1786 by William Cooper, a judge and member of Congress. Several of the stone houses that William Cooper bu... more -
The Hip Hop Files
Martha Cooper was a photo-journalist living in New York City when she first began documenting the origins of B-boy (short for break-boys) and hip hop culture. While other New Yorkers at the time saw this movement as a trite, uninspired or even offensive fad, Martha found a new form of expressing art. Through her camera lens we recount the infancy of hip-hop culture, from the alleys and subways of New York to the masses beyond the boroughs. Martha Cooper was a photo-journalist living in New York City when she first began documenting the origins of B-boy (short for break-bo... more
-
The Old Photomaton: A Picture Box for the Masses
In 1926, an inventor named Anatol Josepho opened a photo booth in New York City's Times Square, the first Photomaton in the world. Josepho kept his Photomaton open 24 hours a day, and 280,000 customers had entered his booths to take pictures during his first six months of operation.
It was such an instant hit that the photo booth spread from that very spot in Times Square to arcades, amusement parks, state fairs, bus depots and five-and-dimes all around the country. Across eight decades the photo booths have recorded countless youthful frolics, untold numbers of funny antics, romantic kisses and unspeakable inebriated indiscretions.
This article includes wonderful vintage photographs, three videos (one of them is absolutely hilarious) and a great photo-gallery. In 1926, an inventor named Anatol Josepho opened a photo booth in New York City's Times Square, the first Photomaton in the world... more -
Vintage Photographs: Around the Capital
"Vintage Photographs: Around the Capital." This piece presents a number of vintage photographs about the Capital in Washington, D.C. In addition, it displays a delightful photo-gallery of the historic photographs. Finally, it includes an animated video, entitled "Washington." I hope that you will enjoy this composition!! "Vintage Photographs: Around the Capital." This piece presents a number of vintage photographs about the Capital in Washingt... more
-
Oscar: Only the Shallow Know Themselves
This article includes a number of classic, vintage photographs of Oscar Wilde. It also presents biographic notes about his life and times, beginning with his dramatic portrayals of the human condition written during the height of the Victorian Era that swept through London in the late 19th century. At a time when all citizens of Britain were finally able to embrace literature that the wealthy and educated could only once afford, Wilde wrote many short stories, plays and poems that continue to inspire millions of people around the world. The biographic notes conclude with an account of his imprisonment for a gay relationship, and of how after his release from prison, he spent most of the last three years of his life impoverished, wandering around Europe, and staying with friends or living in cheap hotels. In addition to the wonderful vintage photographs and biographic notes, the article also includes an animated video entitled "The Life and Times of Oscar Wilde." This article includes a number of classic, vintage photographs of Oscar Wilde. It also presents biographic notes about his life and t... more
-
related topics
Vintage Photographs
Contributors (31)
Vintage Photographs
