Seventy five year old photographs ... roll #6 ('Suva')

[Keith]

Following on from roll #5 posted in this thread.


This ‘Suva’ roll was obviously shot before the previous one, as they would have sailed from Fiji to New Zealand via the cruise ship named ‘Niagara.’ Thanks heaps Charlie (‘bigeye’) for that info about the cruise liners … that would never have occurred to me!

This is Agfa again (37 images) and the film has a few issues along with the dreaded recurring occasional light leak … I suspect the light leak may be user induced with an accidental partial removal of the base plate or similar. 😱

The film itself has some very strange things going on with many images having shadows of sprocket holes and the outline of the edge of the film overlaid in the frame … it must have happened during developing surely?

That said I really like the images on this roll … I’ve been to Fiji and remember how warm and friendly the people were … the shot of the crowd gathered around the shark meeting it’s grizzly end is very powerful IMO.

Once again thanks for your participation in this crazy odyssey I seem to be on and keep enjoying it … there’s plenty more to come. 🙂

 

[mnmleung]

Thank you again, Keith. I especially like the crowd scene with the shark.

 

[tj01]

and your loyal audience would be anticipating..

 

[pevelg]

The shark/crowd photo is incredible. I think the motion blur makes the image great. There is just enough blur to show the fierce action. I also like the photo of the child running. Thanks for posting and I look forward to the rest.

 

[bigeye]

Thank my employer. Spent a couple hours looking for the identity of the passing ship, searching pacific lines of the period (all lines have distinctive markings). There are more images of the Niagra, which I went through trying to match them to the passing ship, which was found as the Aorangi. I was happy confirming the Aorangi, when you mentioned the word "Niagra", it clicked as their ship.

The lady photographer may have been taught drawing or painting as a young lady, as would have been common in her society. Looking for some composition features; seeing only good snaps at this point, but it may have been attempted in the sunset picture.

The running boy picture is probably an accidental success, but I like it very much. The small boat that came out to the ship is probably the harbor pilot, who will take the ship into port.

- Charlie

 

[elmer3.5]

Thanks Keith, this series of candid uninterested shots are really powerful today!

Hope to see more of them!

Bye!

 

[naruto]

brilliant stuff. ah to have lived in those times...

 

[sprokitt]

That's a real time capsule you have there, Keith. Fascinating stuff.
This the is first thread I look for when I log in now.
Keep it up

 

[Mudman]

I'll ditto Sprokitt. great stuff.

 

[nlubis]

+1 Sprokitt. Thanks!

 

[oftheherd]

I wonder Keith, if the sproket holes might have been caused during development. It wasn't uncommon in those times to develop by inspection. If the film were allowed to curl around as a check was being made against the light source, that might explain it. Or if the film was laid down to do something else and the inspection light left on to accomplish the task, it could have happened.

Pure speculation on my part, but it is certainly one explanation. In the days of silver printing only, those sproket holes would have had to be taken out by very selective bleaching of the photo (the negative is too small, or by a print used as a mask for dodging by jiggling. It would no doubt have been considered more trouble than it was worth. Now, even though difficult, PS would probably be easier.

As all the photographs you have shown so far, I am really enjoying these. The photographer does seem to have an eye for composition. The running boy (probably beside an automobile) just about to be passed, so at the back edge of the frame, the dock posts at the edge for perspective in the first, all make me believe the photos were taken exactly as intended, not by accident.

 

[Allan Reade]

Great project Keith, thanks for posting the results.

 

[nikon_sam]

Yup, that shark is a gonner...I do love the shot of the boy running with the car...most likely there were others running with him...

Great job Keith...just like everyone else I'm really enjoying this look into the past...

 

[mgd711]

Keep up the good work Keith, its well appreciated here.

 

[dogbunny]

I do love the shot of the boy running with the car...most likely there were others running with him...past...

I really liked that one too. It reminds me of pulling into a small town in Southeast Asia with the swarms of people gathering to see the foreigners.

 

[ampguy]

You know, those baby sharks losing their mother like that is not a pretty sight.

Then again, it's good that they didn't have photoshop back then (or that you aren't using it now) to remove the babies.

edit: *description of behavior deleted*

 

[israel_alanis]

Keith all rolls at now are great, thank you a lot for share. They are fantastic, you are making a great job rescuing all of them.

Thanks again Keith
Regards.


Pd. C´mon ampguy are you trollin all forums?
One thing is a pacifist and the other is closed to reality. Keith is sharing historical photos, and your comments are out of place, always criticizing a Work Related or photograph you must be looked yourself in time/year, culture, place and many more things to do well judge. If this month and year you judge a picture of a hunter killing a penguin I agree with you, the hunter should not, is a crime for the species, but if the photo does not exist could not arrest him. On the other hand, if you are very sensitive to photography, I'm in your pain. With respect. Greetings Ampguy

 

[ampguy]

Hi again Israel

Hi again Israel

I am not criticizing Keith's work, or even the original photographer's decision to photograph it.

And in fact, am praising the photography, and non manipulation of the image, to the extent that it can be preserved.

The glorification of the event, where a mother is killed in front of her children saddens me. That is all.

Keith all rolls at now are great, thank you a lot for share. They are fantastic, you are making a great job rescuing all of them.

Thanks again Keith
Regards.


Pd. C´mon ampguy are you trollin all forums?
One thing is a pacifist and the other is closed to reality. Keith is sharing historical photos, and your comments are out of place, always criticizing a Work Related or photograph you must be looked yourself in time/year, culture, place and many more things to do well judge. If this month and year you judge a picture of a hunter killing a penguin I agree with you, the hunter should not, is a crime for the species, but if the photo does not exist could not arrest him. On the other hand, if you are very sensitive to photography, I'm in your pain. With respect. Greetings Ampguy

 

[Mablo]

Great photos. I love to go along with their voyage. It's like going warp speed back in time. Beam me up again, Scotty.. err.. Keith.

 

[Keith]

I am not criticizing Keith's work, or even the original photographer's decision to photograph it.

And in fact, am praising the photography, and non manipulation of the image, to the extent that it can be preserved.

The glorification of the event, where a mother is killed in front of her children saddens me. That is all.

Ted,

I don't have an issue with your thoughts about the scene as you describe it ... but the term 'savages' was in poor taste IMO. These are people to whom harvesting the sea's riches is a way of live and to describe them in such terms is unfair.

A bird your cat kills in it's daily activities, and most cats do lets face it, may have had young in a nest somewhere!


edit ... Roll #7 (Banff prequel) now posted in this thread.