Wednesday 20 June 2012

Digital Dilution & Delight

I’m alone now in the house in Caunes. The week before last there were 10 of us, last week just 2, and now….just me. The transition week was good. Carole and I lunched out, breakfasted on the terrace, swam, gardened and explored a little. Now, though, it is just me and my various projects. It is nearly 4 weeks before friends and family return.

The list of things I want to do is enormous….but sitting in the shade, reading the new Hilary Mantel book is one of them, so it’s not all going to be hard work.

I began sorting through the already outrageous number of photos of the children that I have been dutifully loading onto the lap top each day, and I wondered what on earth will happen to the thousands of digital images that already exist of our 4 year old grandsons, our one year old and little 3 month old Izzie. I am quite organised and have always made up an annual photo book through one of those on line services each year. It has come to be an expected Christmas gift for each branch of the family. So there is a hard copy of holidays, celebrations and family events somewhere on the shelves of our children’s and grandchildren’s homes.

Sifting through the 1470 images I have saved on the lap top since May 15, I thought about the very few surviving images of my family when I was a child. We have boxes and books of fading black and white family photos….but all 4 of us, together, not so many. In fact, there are only 2 photos of my parents actually with my brother and I.

Here they are:
Joy and Mike, with me as a 4 year old and my baby brother Kev.....sitting on a horse hair stuffed 1940s sofa, with a very 1950s nifty little clip on tray for your tea, on the arm. This would have been taken in 1959.







This one shows us with me at about 25 and little brother at 21, so, taken in about 1980. Mum died in 1983
How times change.                              
These dated images are precious to me, and I do wonder if this digital age, whilst giving us so much pleasure with the ease of capturing moments in time does dilute the importance of those captured and remembered moments.

However, without the wonders of digital photography, the following photo would not  exist. It was taken by my brother, and tampered with by me. It shows Mark and I when we got married, with his parents on the left and mine on the right. We married 9 years after my mother died.....she does look a little ghostly, and the straight edge of her dress is a tell tale sign of tampering......but I still love the photo.

I expect I shall ponder about all sorts of things, whilst on my own here for the next few weeks.

22 comments:

  1. My albums stop when digital photography took over, which is a shame because there's nothing better than getting the old albums out. Flicking through shots on a computer screen is not the same.

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    1. I agree completely, which is why I make sure I have an annual print out through an on line service publishing books. Its good as they take up less space than photo albums, but can still be flipped through.

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  2. Interesting thoughts here, Janice, about old photos as opposed to digital ones. Yes, when we took photos years ago, that was it, we did not keep taking them one after another until we captured the right one. You had a film of 36 and you were very careful not to waste any of them.
    You certainly were a dear little girl aged 4........ well I am sure you still are.
    So sad that your mother was not present at your wedding but I like the way you have endeavoured to include her.
    Enjoy reading and sitting in the sun until the onslaught in a few weeks.

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    1. yes, the days of splashing out and taking 2 rolls of film are long gone. I'm sure my parents never bought 2 rolls at the same time...36 was quite enough for a 2 week holiday.

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  3. We weren't a photograph taking family...was it Scots' blood I wonder - too tight to buy film - or was it that we didn't see it as important?

    I think the latter. I still cannot acquire the habit of taking the camera with me on my travels, I suppose because I remember what I see and can't imagine that anyone else would be interested.

    But blogging is slowly changing that attitude...

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    1. I'm interested that you are clear that you remember what you see. I think my memories are clearer of times when there have been some photos taken,which then act as a prompt in later years. The classic thing is whether you actually remember something, or just the photo you have seen time and time again. I am sure I remember my grandfather taking the photo on the sofa of the 4 of us, when I was 4....but maybe I have just looked at the photo so many times. I dont know. I do know I have always loved looking through old photos though, so am glad my parents bought the film....even if sometimes it was only a roll of 12.

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    2. I can rerun memory like film.
      Can't tell you what's on the shopping list once I've written it down, but what I've seen sticks.

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  4. I'm trying to complete the g'kids' albums for 2011 right now so my back is killing me from bending over as usual. They do love them though so hopefully it will be worthwhile. I finish each when the child graduates from high school and then give it to them the following Christmas. All the pics/mementoes, etc. are of things they do WITH us, not the things they do otherwise. So...with Andy's done, that's 4 down, 8 to go...and that is another 8 years worth. Hope I live that long!!

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    1. I'm sure the 12 of them just love their books, and Andy will be thrilled to get his at Christmas.... 4 graduated grandchildren.....amazing. I know Jess loved looking through her baby book when she was growing up, and I now feel that I am the keeper of the family archives....photos, stories and family tree research. Jx

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  5. This is such a lovely post on so many levels, Janice. I agree that photos are very important, though like Fly, I also have a very visual memory but the memory plays tricks too - I'm no longer very sure what is genuine memory and what is the memory of discussing the 'event' of a photo to the extent the memory is 'recreated.' Brains are fascinating!

    We often take a DVD, which holds our pictures, and 'watch' them on the television - it's something we can do all together and the children love it. (I hate the wide-angle!) However, I do think it's a lovely idea to use an online service and you have now solved the perennial problem of what to give my parents for Christmas! Thanks!

    (And on another note, I do envy your four weeks of solitude - what I would do for four days of being completely on my own!!) Have a lovely time,
    Axxx

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    1. The DVD idea is good... we did one for Mark's dad's travel photos after he died, but I never thought about doing it with the regular family stuff. The kids do like looking through the books though, especially if it shows lots of pictures of them ! I am enjoying my alone time, but think maybe 4 weeks might be too long....we'll see. J x

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  6. I'm quite happy with my own company too, although four weeks would be about my limit. Have you got a few things arranged to do?

    Whatever, enjoy your book and don't wotk too hard.

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    1. I think 4 weeks might be my limit too....but we will see. I have various projects planned....and the garden has to be tamed, or at least a few sections of it need to be. Today has been great. A load into the washing machine, an hour of working in the garden, and then the rest of the day alternating between the sunlounger in the shade and the one in the sun, and a few short swims to cool off. I think I could handle a few more days like that. J.

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  7. Isn't it amazing how the nostalgia, longing, and memories come flooding in with those older pictures, Janice? I have a few favorites sitting about. My dad in a boat with his fishing gear about him. A formal one of my mom that she had taken at Sears and gave to all of us. It was such a delightful surprise and then, sadly, a lesson as she passed away a year later. I have tons of pictures of our little granddaughter. Alas, most are digital, though I always print out a few each and every time to put in little albums. Sigh.

    Enjoy those four weeks. I'm sure they will fly swiftly past, Janice - and tell us all about it.

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    1. It does seem that we still need that printed out image doesn't it. I think my 4 weeks of being on my own will fly by. The village holds its annual marble festival this weekend, and I already have tickets for a couple of concerts lined up....as well as all the garden projects....and reading, I dont think I'm going to struggle to fill my time. J.

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  8. This was such a nice post...I love sifting through old family pics.....maybe you can get some organization done and some good book reading done.
    It looks like a beautiful place where you are. My husband has relatives living in Toulouse and I just love it there.
    have a great weekend.

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    1. Thanks Erica (Irene)...I am enjoying my "alone " time, although I'm delighted to hear, today, that my husband is coming back 2 days earlier than planned, so we can celebrate Bastille day together....and go to see the 14th stage of the Tour de France together...as it will be quite close to us. I would have gone alone...but it will be much better with him !
      We're not far from Toulouse...about an hour and a half's drive...it is a lovely city.

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  9. Hello, and how nice to have found your blog! Have fun with the gardening and all the other activities you have planned - time will fly by! We love France and will soon be heading off for a holiday in the Limousin region.
    x

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    1. Hi Alix, this adventure of actually owning a house here stemmed from 20 odd years of holidays in France....its all a bit new and strange, actually being here for more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time.....but so far....excellent use of my time ! Thanks for your comment, and I hope you have a great time in the Limousin area. J.

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  10. A really interesting, thought-provoking post, Janice. I love photos, both older prints and my digital ones and am enjoying he digital photo frame the offspring gave me for my birthday. At present I would give a lot for a couple of days on my own to catch up with myself. Life has been too hectic to think recently. :-)

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    1. I feel as if these 4 weeks are an amazing luxury. I lived on my own for years until I met Mark ( not until I was 35)...but realise how little time I spend alone now. I'm enjoying it....but it is a little strange after the crowds that have been filling the house up to now. I hope you get a chance to catch up with yourself once you are back in France.

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    2. Oh I'm back in France already, Janice, but with my elderly mother-in-law with us for a fortnight, so that life is very busy indeed. :-) Also I'm wrestling with the laptop, as some aspects are still not familiar, so my brain is reeling a bit....:-)

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