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Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Mrs. John Nolan, children's party." A good if eerie example of what happens when the shutter opens before the flash goes off. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
The painted-on eyes remind me of memorial photography of that time.
[Speaking figuratively, right? It's a time exposure of people blinking. The eyes are not really painted on. - Dave]
Those transparent eyelids are a mutation to avoid!!
I think the kid on the far right purposely sat near the exit just in case.
Interesting shot. Twenty children in the picture, and the blink reflex was about the same speed for 17 or 18 of them. I wonder why the others did not blink? Hopefully not some neurological problem.
Love the little dolls. Sailor Boy has a tin telephone.
This is how a lot of Lewis Hine's nighttime shots looked. A common artifact of the flash powder era. If your camera had a shutter, there was no synchronization with the flash. Just hand-eye coordination. It was especially tricky if the charge was set off by an assistant. With a lot of those old cameras there was no shutter, or the photographer didn't use it. He took the lens cap off, ignited the charge and put the lens cap back on. This looks to have been a very short, shutter-timed exposure. No blur except for the eyelids.
That party-of-the-living-dead photo is truly scary.
I don't care how creepy they look, those dresses are beautiful!
I'm guessing there will be plenty of "creepy" comments, but I'm all about the shoes in these old photos. I'm loving the white leather button boots on the girl in front. And what is going on with the ascot on the left? Cole Porter Jr.??
Those girls have a lot of jewelry!
I love the fact that two of the boys (the one on the far left, and the one towards the right in the suit and tie) have eyes painted onto their eyelids. With their eyes closed, they have another set of eyes looking at the camera. I wonder if they did that just for this shot?
[Umm, sure. - Dave]
Hanging on the curtain behind the three girls is the old classic pin the tail on the donkey! Who didn't play that game at one one of their birthdays?
GAAAAHHHH!!
... I don't always *have* to view the large size. Especially first thing in the morning.
Great Googly Moogly!
I'm glad you explained this one one because, Yikes!
That is without a doubt the least attractive group of children Shorpy ever posted even without the freak effect of mistimed flash.
Mysterious and spooky ... This looks to be the first incarnation of Pugsley and Wednesday Addams, next to the fireplace.
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