The Things Around You

When we look at old photos, the first things we usually notice are the fashions. We check out the clothing people wore, we recognize hairstyles, and we pay attention to furniture.

Consider the fashion of photography itself. Today it's trendy to do a photoshoot on train tracks. It's cool to "trash the dress." It's adorable to dress dogs as though they were babies.

We know that at the turn of the century, photographers had velvet chairs and tassled props in their studios. Photos taken in those environments have appeared here.

But looking back through our old photos, I see a trend in the family snapshots. People took photographs on front steps, back steps, porches, landings, entry areas, and in doorways.

Was this scene creation a contrived memorialization designed to show that the subjects were homeowners who had arrived at their place in the world? Or was it less conscious, instead illustrating the subjects' attachments to their homes and surroundings?

Tauragė, Lithuania, about 1938. My maternal Grandfather, Jake (in uniform), stands next to his sister, Mary (in the white-fringed shawl), and his Parents, Cody Sr. and Wanda. Mary's Husband and son lean against the railing.

Thanks to my "New" Cousin for making this photo available to me in digital format.