This was my find while walking the dog yesterday morning. As you know, I can't resist a found strip of film negatives, and when I saw this lying in the gutter I had to pick it up. Unfortunately, just as I did so, Olga stooped to pee on it. I grabbed it but not before she got a few drops on it.
It's Kodak GT800-5 film, which I believe is the type generally used in Kodak FunSaver disposable cameras. I think those cameras are still available, so these may not be old negatives. They could be from last week, or from ten years ago. It's all part of the mystery!
Back home, I put the film in my negative scanner to see what's what.
Ah, someone's trip to Brighton! That's definitely the Pavilion in the background.
(See that ghostly patch to the right? Thanks, Olga.)
A picnic on the grass. I love it when photographers manage to get their shadows into the shot.
Are we still in Brighton? Who knows. A few of these may be the same people, like that guy in the navy blue shirt in the foreground of the middle picture, who also seems to be at the rear of the last one.
Speaking of cameras, I've decided to not take my big camera to Pevensey Bay when we go today. I'm just taking my phone. We're already going to be juggling luggage and the dog, so one less bag is better for everyone.
When I told Dave, he said, "You don't want your long lens, to focus on Olga as she's swimming out into the English channel?"
"Like Shannon!" I exclaimed. Dave looked perplexed. "You know, Shannon. That '70s song about the dog who swims out to sea and dies."
"That is not something I was listening to when I was four," he replied.
(For the record, he would have been eight, but whatever.)
Speaking of getting one's shadow into a picture, I took this very haphazard video yesterday when I saw the first comma butterfly of the season. (My long lens would have come in handy!) You can see how weedy our patio is at this time of year -- but hey, I am all about embracing our weediness.
Only you could turn a soggy strip of film from a dog walk into a miniature mystery and a trip down musical memory lane
ReplyDeleteI am always fascinated by other people's photographic detritus.
DeleteWell done for capturing that comma video, butterflies always close their wings and hide their lovely pattern when I try to take a picture! Did you know that at Saltdean Lido, Brighton for four weeks in September you can swim with your dog? It's called Dogtember, I think you might be near there judging by the places you mention in your blog. If I had a dog I would go - might even borrow one! I think its good you embrace your weeds btw, many have medicinal properties and you are helping the insect population which has to be good. Betty.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard that about "Dogtember"! Olga would have loved that when she was younger. I'm not sure she'd be up for swimming now, though maybe!
DeleteI don't see weeds, I see greenery.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Exactly!
DeleteLucky you spotting the Comma - a Big butterfly shortage in my small Mid Suffolk garden
ReplyDeleteand with the disease that's hit all Buddleias this year - with fewer flowers - don't think I will see many at all.
I've seen cabbage whites, a couple of admirals and this comma. I think that's it so far.
DeleteI like the way the butterfly flaps its wings in greeting at the end.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be waving at us!
DeleteLuckily Olga didn't wee on the butterfly! My boy would have been chasing it!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to some sea photos tomorrow. Hope the journey goes well.
She's never paid much attention to butterflies. She's more motivated by birds and squirrels!
DeleteI agree with you about the guy you mentioned in the photo. It even appears to be wearing the same tee.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are several common people between the two pictures, now that I look more closely.
DeleteThere's something about the last found photo that suggests to me a university setting but why are there no drinks on the tables and very little sign of bags or rucksacks? Anyway, they all seem pretty happy. Perhaps they were studying psychedelic mushrooms. It doesn't appear to be too long ago.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely seems like a collegiate crowd. I agree that looks like a university in picture no. 3.
DeleteA mystery never to be solved in your found film.
ReplyDeleteCommas are very obliging, hanging around for quite a while to have their photographs or video taken.
This one was! I'm glad it kept its wings open, as they don't look like much when they're closed up.
DeleteOlga sure made me smile this morning when you told of her dropping a pit of pee on the negatives! From their outfits and the pink hair, it doesn't seem like these photos were taken too long ago.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree -- they're quite modern. I couldn't believe she chose THAT moment to pee, right THERE.
DeleteOh my, I had forgotten that song. And to be honest, I hope I forget it again. Sorry! Why am I not surprised you scanned Olga’s pee? I enjoyed the haphazard video and your shadow.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sorry to bring that up. It was a huge hit back in the day, remember?
DeleteOlga's contribution gives an eerie ghost vibe to the photo!
ReplyDeleteIt does create some atmosphere! And I'm lucky it fell on a relatively nondescript part of the picture.
DeleteI am always accidentally getting my shadow into shot when I take photos for my blog ... and occasionally, if it's an indoor low level, shot my slippers too, I had never thought of it as a good thing. At least my general photos have improved slightly these days after a few choice comments from my brother who used to be a photography club judge.
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, I'm being sarcastic about loving the photographers' shadow. It's an easy mistake to make! Always good to get photography tips from someone who knows the craft!
DeleteOnly a true archivist would not let a few drops of dog pee stop them from satisfying their curiosity as to a strip of negatives.
ReplyDeleteHave a fantastic trip! It'll be so different than what it's like in winter.
Oh- I do not remember that song AT ALL. Perhaps I blocked it.
Yeah, why let dog pee ruin a perfectly good photo?! LOL! That song is sappy and not really your thing.
DeleteMy Mom often got her thumb in the photo or movie when she was in charge of the camera. That was usually my Dad's job! It's a happy memory now to see her thumb when watching the old movies!
ReplyDeleteI never understood how people could photograph their own thumbs, but then I did it a couple of times and now I get it! Especially with phone cameras, I find it's easy to get your fingers in the way.
DeleteUnfortunately the color is faded or was like that to start with
ReplyDeleteIt's probably my negative scanner, which isn't very fancy.
DeleteThanks to Olga:)
ReplyDeleteI don't mind your weeds at all, but I can imagine Mrs. Kravitz muttering under her breath as she looks at your garden.
I always liked that song, but I had no idea it was about a dog, now it's sadder but I like it even more.
Oh, I'm sure Mrs. K is horrified by our garden. Hers is very meticulous.
DeleteHappy travels. You'll soon be walking by the shore.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful butterfly capture. I've never seen this particular butterfly.
The film strip miraculously fell into the right hands. The caption: Youthful friends enjoying their time in Brighton documented in film sounds about right to me.
I'm not sure how widely commas are dispersed. I don't think we have them in the USA.
DeleteI recognised several people in both photos so I think it is the same group just not everyone as in the first photo. Weeds have their place in the ecosystem so yeah, you just have to go with it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are a couple of repeat appearances. Some weeds can be beautiful and I don't know why we don't grow them more!
DeleteVery nice butterfly shot! Enjoy your travels to the shore!
ReplyDeleteI hope the people in those photos got their prints before the negatives were tossed out.
Yeah, I wonder! Some people throw away negatives because they don't think they'll need them again after the pictures are printed. I've never understood that.
DeleteThe pee spot made me laugh! Olga had the last word on that film strip. The photos don't look very old to me but people haven't used those cameras much in current times. It's cell phones all the way. Sigh. I told myself I would always use a real camera and not my cell phone--famous last words.
ReplyDeleteI think some kids are intrigued by film photography. It's a retro technology they find interesting. I wouldn't know where to get film developed these days!
DeleteLove the first shot with Olga
ReplyDeletes influence! Artistic pooch. Shannon- one hit wonder...I don[t remember it being about a dog who died. That is a sad thing to sing about!
Have a great ime on your holiday!Keep Olga away from the water!
Apparently it was inspired by one of the Beach Boys' dogs, who had recently died, though that dog didn't drown.
DeleteWhen you said "Shannon" I immediately could hear the song in my head. It was years before I knew what it was about. Now I'm a little bummed out. (because I tortured myself by going and listening to it) I don't want to think about Olga swimming in the sea. I hope you all three (!) have a fun trip.
ReplyDeleteIt would take an act of God to get Olga into the water! She is a wader but not a swimmer.
DeleteI had to look up Shannon. I remembered the name, but had forgotten the song. Perhaps I shall be lucky enough to forget it again. But whatever you do, don't let Olga drift out to the sea!
ReplyDeleteThe young man with the very receded hairline does make him easy to pick out of the crowd, doesn't it?
I had a sister like Dave. She liked to highlight the fact that I'm the oldest. I have noticed now that we are both in our sixties, she's a bit quieter on the topic.
Dave is always ribbing me about age and I am only 19 months older than he is!
DeleteNot even I remembered that song...Enjoy your trip.
ReplyDeleteFor better or worse, you've been reminded! LOL
DeleteThat will be my motto. Embrace the weeds. That song's new to me, too. And that darned Olga! Ah well, a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. Safe travels tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteEmbrace the weeds is a good motto! We're getting less and less particular about that kind of thing in our garden and lawn.
DeleteWe're taking your advice on the yarrow in the grass, and we just won't look there. It's green. Did you take that giant dog bed with you? How did you carry it all?
ReplyDeleteOh, good! I think it will bloom eventually, which might be interesting. We actually bought some yarrow and had it in a pot for a while. We did take the dog bed with us!
Delete