Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Thursday 11 December 2014

Looking Back at the Bigger Picture


Who is this young girl and why is she looking back over her shoulder? She was on her way past a flower stall in the market square when her attention was caught by something or someone.




The group behind her don’t seem at all interested and are engrossed in conversation.







The stallholder’s curiosity is piqued however, and everyone else in the market square is going about their business as usual as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened.








Ah, but wait a moment; there’s a bit of a clue here. The large lettering above the shop says “SALZBURG...”, possibly Salzbuger something or other. It’s not a high street bank, although it looks imposing enough. The lady in blue isn’t using an ATM, even if it appears that way. This is 1966, ‘hole-in-the-wall’ cash machines had only just been invented and weren’t in common use in Salzburg.









Yes, this photograph was taken in a square in this famous Austrian city. There are more shops as a clue, and if I really wanted to, I’m sure I could spend hours on google street view and find the exact location. I’m not going to do that however, because it’s not the place, or the time that’s important, it’s the bigger picture.







And here it is. The smiling group in the corner are my mother and the mother (in blue) of my Austrian exchange friend. Her younger brother is standing just in front. My parents and I were on holiday in the Tyrol and my friend, with whom I’d spent the previous Summer, had persuaded her family to travel from Vienna for the day, just so that we could all spend a few hours together. It was a great success and resulted in further extended visits of each family to the other’s home.  My Father would have been trying to get as much local colour into the picture as possible. Just a wee bit further to the left and he’d have nailed it, but what an interesting image it is and worth taking a second glance when you’re passing by.

This week’s Sepia Saturday encouraged us to look into the backgrounds rather than the foregrounds of our old images. It’s a useful exercise and allows us to see what we might otherwise miss.


Don’t miss a visit to other Sepians this week; they’ll all be looking back and sharing the big, and the small pictures with you

14 comments:

  1. Did you keep in contact with her? I didn't have an exchange friend or pen pal when I was young. And you don't need hours to google, 5 minutes will suffice: http://www.iereus.wz.cz/obr_mesta/salzburg_altermarkt.jpg (it's the Alter Markt, but there is no google street view in Salzburg).

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  2. How perfectly appropriate and clever of you! I enjoyed working down the line wondering where it was all going. Nicely done! :)))

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  3. Yes, just a little to the left!

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  4. So many stories happening in a single moment! (I'm enjoying this Sepia prompt!)

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  5. Ooh you chose a wonderfully clear photo with which to work. Great results.

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  6. This was a clever way to direct the eye. Market scenes have always attracted artists who paint similar street views with multiple stories and perspectives.

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  7. A great way to work up from the cropped scenes to the full photo and to tell a story in this way,

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  8. I love the way you did this post.

    I have had photos from our recently holiday turned into jigsaws. It is amazing the details that you notice in a picture when it is a jigsaw!

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  9. I also enjoyed the story book nature of this post...moving from one area of the scene with the narrative leading me on. Thanks for sharing. Have a happy holiday!

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  10. You make a story out of what might, at first, appear to be a simple snap. Whoever said that a photograph is worth a thousand words underestimated their power.

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  11. Loved the story that went behind the pictures, nicely put together.

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  12. I think I recognise the location though it's decades since we were there....we bought dried flower hanging "ball" which we hang each Christmas. Lots going on in this photo.

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  13. Such a lot going on in this photo! Love the way you've drawn attention to all the possible stories playing out in the background. Your clever Dad, catching that moment in that lovely setting - makes it so much more interesting.

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  14. Ah! This is the still photo equivalent of a panning shot! I like the way you gradually revealed the truth. :) I like to look at what is going on in the background of photos, too.

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