Once upon a time in Ireland, a photo from Waterford, South

Photographer's Note

I know this is in no way a great shot and nothing I would show if it had been recently taken. But this is most likely from the very first roll of colour film I ever used.

This is from Waterford, a small town in southern Ireland, in the summer of 1968, almost 44 years ago. I hitch-hiked around the whole island with a friend after we had just left the Swedish army, where we had wasted 11 months doing our national military service.

I have no memory at all of this particular photo, but most of the journey remains strongly in my memory. We had a great time and met a lot of interesting people who offered us rides or bought us beer in the local pubs. I was certain I would return to Ireland very soon, but for strange reasons I have never gone back.

This was scanned from a slide, an Agfacolor as far as I can recall. I used a very cheap and simple camera but I don't remember what kind.

tyro, vasilpro, SnapRJW, Budapestman, Sonata11, bukitgolfb301, golus, abmdsudi, kato, saxo042, Graal, siamesa, bayno, macjake, Angshu, ourania has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

tyro (13101) 2012-03-16 9:26

Hello Gert,

I see that we are neighbours today on TE but your picture is much more impressive than mine!

Clearly 44 years ago you had already developed excellent compositional skills: the sense of perspective in this long hilly street is wonderful with the repetitive doors and windows.

The street now seems amazingly devoid of vehicles and yet there are quite a few people around, doing things and talking to each other - nowadays we would expect to see many more vehicles and much fewer people - and any people we were to see nowadays would not be conversing but would be hurrying on about their business.

Just one old Ford van I see - I had the car version of that - it cost me £50 and made a noise like a tractor but it was reliable enough.

The colours are amazingly good too. I remember Agfa CT18 colour slide film - it tended to give much more subdued and natural colours than Kodachrome whose colours were much more vibrant. But the Agfa was fast at 18 DIN (ASA or ISO 50) whilst the Kodachrome 25 was only 15 DIN or ASA/ISO 25. I can just remember my father (probably around 1959 or 1960) using a roll of the original Kodachrome which was 10 ASA or ISO 10! Unbelievable nowadays!

Wonderful Memories!

Kind Regards,

John.

Waylim (22357) 2012-03-16 9:26

Hi Gert,

I think the quality is really not bad, compare to some with the new digital camera, you put them to shame. This feel like looking at old magazines. Great daily life scene with great perspective of the line of hte houses and curve leading all the way donw and into the distance.

Oldies but goodies.

Way

Yiannis84 (2824) 2012-03-16 9:32

Hi Gert..

Very intersting composition with a lot of details! i really like the contrast between the red door and the house! the presence of the people is very nice indeed and gives life to the scene..excellent high quality and clarity..perspective is splendid..superb shot!! excellent job!

Best regards..Yiannis

Best regards..Yiannis

agjika (4011) 2012-03-16 9:58

Hi Gert,
I think this is a rather wonderful shot. Photographically the red door and the neighbours chatting make this shot, but this is more than a photo it is a record.

I like the number of cars on the road! I wonder what this street might look now. I can imagine a beter asphalted road and a lot more cars.

Thanks for sharing

Aleks

vasilpro (40192) 2012-03-16 10:06

Hello Gert,
Beautiful old photo with interesting architectural details from a street in Ireland of 1968, excellent POV and DOF, TfS!
Have a nice weekend, Vasilis.

notrap (4690) 2012-03-16 10:08

Hello Gert,
looking at this grain I´m once again happy with my digital equipment nowadays, that achieves a better quality even on high ASA-ranges. But these old slides should be kept and appreciated! Perhaps this one will be the reason to push you once again to a trip to Ireland.
Enjoy your weekend,
Elvira

SnapRJW (18752) 2012-03-16 11:57

Hello Gert - Never mind the quality this shot is packed with nostalgia. The detail is fantastic and is a wonderful look at neighbourliness which probably doesn't exist as it did in the late '60's. Children free to play in the street, people chatting on the doorstep, hardly any cars parked. The good old days? In some ways yes! fabulous shot TFS. Warm regards Rosemary

Budapestman (82620) 2012-03-16 12:58

Hi Gert,
this is an attractive and nostalgic photo with superb note and I like the composition and the perspective, excellent photo,
Tfs! Have a nice weekend! Kellemes hétvégét kívánok!
György

rychem (9227) 2012-03-16 13:03

It is a very interesting documentary photo taken with an analog camera, this is a history of the town and of the photography
regards
Ryszard

brianmcc (5536) 2012-03-16 13:19

hi gert,
this is a wonderful glimpse back in time of life in ireland in the 60s. the lack of cars is what immediately strikes me. the one solitary car places the scene in time very well, as do the children playing on the street. they'd all be inside today playing on playstations. the red door is a lovely rich colour and nicely placed in the picture. your viewpoint leads very well down the street and brings the viewer along and through the picture. an excellent picture.
regards,
brian

dkmurphys (36819) 2012-03-16 14:10

Hi Gert,
A real document of once life was. Great shot, superb perspective.
Have a good night.

Daniel

dta (51454) 2012-03-16 15:16

Hello Gert ,
What a splendid documentary picture ! 44 years old ! A pitty there is not a TE friend from this region , to try to take the same picture today . And to see what has changed .
Always the charm of oldies ...
Regards

Sonata11 (28341) 2012-03-16 21:27

Hello Gert,
You capture this scene and architecture wonderfully with great colors, sharpness, clarity, excellent POV with fabulous result. Like it a lot. Thanks for sharing.
All the best and have a nice WE,
Barbara

bukitgolfb301 (30067) 2012-03-16 22:13

Hi my dear Gert

How are you? Sorry for my late reaction.
First of all, I have to say thank you very much for your warm and sincere support for us, Japanese this time. We are very happy and also encouraged to go forward by many friends all over the world like you.
We have to certify the clear result for this coming one year, we should do and we hope to do so.
-------------------------------------------
This is another wonderful shot! Your great documentary sereis, fantastic and precious image with impressive tasteful color touch. Timely posting to see in the morning of weekend. Perfect balance and framework are as usual as your trade mark.
Thanks for your sharinig with finest posting and have a good Saturday!

Best regrads,

Takero from again rainy Tokyo

golus (2889) 2012-03-16 22:53

Hello Gert,

A highly nostalgic shot that warms my heart, transmits sincerity and happiness. I don't know why but it strucked me at first sight. May be the interaction of people with themselves and you, humility of their houses and so on. There are lots of interesting details here, worths viewing for hours. Hope you keep sharing these with us. Have a nice weekend.

Suleyman

wolf38 (28190) 2012-03-16 23:35

Hello Gert. Another of your documentary photos. The houses, cars, people - all reminiscent of a bygone time. I like this photo because it has the quality of journalism. Rgds, Wolfgang.

emka (58152) 2012-03-16 23:53

Hi gert,

Quality is not important here (and it is not bad), but what a charm of old view. It looks like taken from the movies from that time, depicting the life of workers. Simple life, some chatting with neighbors, only one car on the street. First years of TV, many small antennas on the roofs. Haha, you wasted 11 months during military service. It is my opinion too. Luckily my sons didn't have to waste time in such a way. Summer 1968, memorable for me too.
Lovely shot, I am looking forward to more photos of this trip (in time).

Warm regrads

MAlgo

mkamionka (24537) 2012-03-17 1:30

Hi Gert,
fantastic documentary. Although I really wanted to comment on one of your Yemen photos which are so exotic and interesting to me, as a former resident of Ireland I just had to comment on this one.
Incredible feeling of old times. The street probably did not change that much since but people did as well as their clothes.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing,
M

Nicou (97727) 2012-03-17 8:25

Hello

Grandisoe compo e tiamge superbe quelle rue et perspective quelle profondeur d'image avec ce rendu sur les facades ces personnage une merveille.

Bravo et amitié

Nicou

abmdsudi (26281) 2012-03-17 9:32

Hi Gert
Once upon a time.. and another antique stuff from your dry box!
At thumbnail, the vivid red strikes the eye. A captivating scene that brings this old town to life and great control of highlights surely a wealth of memories. A lovely little insight of this location, the pace of life looks so relaxing. This is the sort of image that usually comes to my mind when people talk about the charms of life in the good old days. The composition works for me, pov and depth you achieved, the clarity make this a nice simple image coupled by the feel of oldie atmosphere to this. Admire this kind of shot and seeing things this close is a great ability indeed. Thanks to obviously given great care in the presentation, all together a wonderful capture. Great photo, Congrats.
Hv a great wk end
Best regards

lousat (57674) 2012-03-17 9:40

Hi Gert,spectacular memory from your museum!A great and neverending perpsective and a magnificent quality of sharpness whit the typical colors of films of 1960,very good work of scannering too.Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

mesutilgim (67982) 2012-03-17 12:42

Hello dear Gert,
Very nice capture from 1968 !
A perfect scan, with very good pictorail geometry and nice colors.
Many interesting notes.
TFS and have a nice weekend
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

patdeph (35738) 2012-03-17 14:02

hello Gert
impressive perspective of the street,and numerous details to look at.I like the people talking quietly at their dood, and the colord are very beautiful.
Regards
Pascale

Gerrit (43743) 2012-03-17 16:28

Ho Gert,
Great documentary shot. The family in the doorstep.is magnificent.
Good composition and perspective.
Regards, Gerrit

kato (6777) 2012-03-17 18:02

Hello Gert,

You're capturing well this collective housing by a good composition and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see two-story collective housing of a same style that stands along the hill. It's impressive in red/cute chimney of a house, too. And, the spectacle of the residents of the house which is present in the door is pulling out the life view in this photograph.

Kind regards,
mikio

saxo042 (31802) 2012-03-18 2:22

Hej Gert,
A very fine picture and a new country on your TE map! I woner what this street looks like today, maybe you can find it on the Google Streetview... Seems like a very steep hill with a nice balance between the lonely car and the red door. I remember when you and Pelle H. returned to Gothenburg on August 8, with all your stories (and I bought my first car the day after...).
Hälsningar
Gunnar

UlfE (13730) 2012-03-18 9:42

Hej Gert,

Ett fantastic photo. Taken in the late 1960ies, but you get the feeling of the 1950ies. You tend to forget that Ireland was a pretty poor country in those days. You not all the children everywhere and recalls the high birth rates of Ireland that continued long after 1968. I note the excellent perspective and composition and the very good colours. The red door is a real eye-catcher. TFS and have nice Sunday evening!

Cheers,

Ulf

batalay (32860) 2012-03-18 11:47

Hello Gert,

Sometimes "Oldies are Goldies," and for the memories they hold, they are wonderful. This is literally a stroll down memory lane for you, as it is for me. The Agfa did not preserve colors as well as Kodachrome, but we've both extolled the virtues of the Kodachrome. It's surprising that there are virtually no private cars parked here, which I suspect is different after forty-four years.

Warm regards,

Bulent

Graal (88908) 2012-03-20 9:01

Hi Gert,
an interesting documental photo from 1968. Good scan. I like the perspective of street and scenes from daily life. Photo I like.
Have a nice evening.
Aleksander

siamesa (27449) 2012-03-20 16:17

Boa noite Gert

This street is charming. One of the best things that I like to do is to see old photos like this. Congratulations and TFS.
Abraços
maria

bayno (16209) 2012-03-20 16:42

Hi Gert,
this is a real old document, old cars, old clothes, old houses, I really like the perspective, you'll certainly be asked how today the same place...very good post...
have a nice day...
Valter

bebbetto (12) 2012-03-21 12:59

hello Gert.
The quality of this old scanned photo is surprisingly good. The perspective is excellent and takes me think to mines and old movies
regards

Royaldevon (17791) 2012-03-22 0:40

Hello Gert,

What you have done, is capture the very essence of Ireland, closeness and camaraderie. Possibly the road surface and the cars will have changed but, maybe, not much else.
My son has married an Irish girl and I just love the strong family connections that exist and their sense of place.

This shot shows your good sense of composition. If you took the shot today, you would probably place yourself in exactly the same place.

Have a lovely day,
Bev :-)

thebest (3370) 2012-03-22 10:48

Hello,

You have a lot of interesting photographs - I have chosen this image for the daily life that it depicts & as I love to look at photo's that have a nostalgic feel to them - it takes me back to the 60's - love it!!!

Kindest regards,
Dawn.

macjake (39235) 2012-03-25 12:04

Hi Gert
sometimes viewing your gallery is like looking into a time capsule! :)

wonderful story, wonderful photo of the daily ongoings, and i love the car too. Talk about your row homes!
excellent photo despite it being 44 years old!
love it.
cheers
craig

papera (13760) 2012-03-29 13:15

well, surely the number of cars has exponentially increased since then, but for the rest this image shows something about Ireland that has not really changed - at least, I was there three years ago and I still remember that sense of drabness emanating from houses such as these, a drabness that seems even today to touch the very lives of the people who live in them. and yet, I agree with you about the people being openhearted and friendly even to strangers, something I have not experienced often when traveling.
I guess the red door caught your compositional attention back then - it's a great eye-catcher and it leads the eye down the lane, along the people talking, the kids playing, the parked car... a great shot, a flashback well worth posting.
have a good evening,
c.

Glint (5573) 2012-04-03 14:40

hello Gert,
this row of terraced houses brings back memories for me as I lived in a similar little house at about the time this was taken. Not in Ireland but the north of England.
Here you find only one car and people on the street who stop and chat. Changed times!I like the colours.
best regards,
Bev

Angshu (51174) 2012-04-06 3:36

Hello Gert
Almost 42 years ago this picture was taken & yet the quality is quite good. Like the deep perspective created by the road & the row houses, with the scene punctuated by the green car. The people animate the scene well. Well done indeed with the fine scan quality as well!
Best Regards
Angshu

InasiaJones (29343) 2012-04-06 23:04

Hi Gert,

I looked at your archive series with great interest.

I can see that you have been dealing with a camera even before I was born, so I can only respect your dedication and long-life passion.

It's obvious that you had a sense of composition since your beginning, exploiting the dramatic perspective for a strong impact, while taking care not to position the vanishing point in the center. You also anchored strong direction lines in the corners, the right one being obviously visible, while the left one is also there, only interrupted before touching the corner, but still very present optically.

You have to cherish this photo Gert, as it is an ultimate testimony of an affection to a unique media that probably have enriched your entire life, increasing experience, widening your curiosity and sharpening your sense of observation.

Priceless.

André

eldancer1 (17064) 2012-04-11 9:17

Considering the equipment and the process you did a wonderful job in bringing this image to present day and as a remembrance of your younger days. The 60s was life was not as complicated as it is now, I had fun then. Very nice documentation of your trip and tfs.

daddo (18517) 2012-06-05 5:49

Well Gert, this is proof that even with a nameless and cheap camera one can take a great shot if one's heart is in the right place and the eye is open to beauty. I love this shot of a time when people knew their neighbours and had time to say hello.Once upon a time-that's for sure. The red door is the gem in this scene which is echoed by the red bricks of the chimneys and the person in red far away. Cheers. Klaudio.P.S. Even after a few bears your hand was steady.

westcoastgirl1 (660) 2012-08-25 7:11

Hi Gert

Super cool story and memories for you around that time in your life. Despite the quality not being there I did find this photo to be compelling. It's not your typical Irish shot first of all. It's composed well to show the long row of houses. Also lots of interest in the scene with the families in the fg. Perfect title to match your story.

Enjoy your weekend,
Tosca

ourania (12397) 2012-11-16 10:39

Hello Gert,
I love the sweeping and captivating perspective that carries us into the frame and the period this shot was taken. So many interesting details to explore and observe, stories to create, scenes from films and books to associate with this image. I love the characteristic moody atmosphere and colours too. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely weekend,
Ourania