collection 01

Just Look at You!

Portraits in Vernacular Photography

 
In this odd and kinky fetish photograph,  the man’s hands in the bottom of the left corner signify everything. c. 1950.
 
Tag Cloud Block
This is an example. Double-click here and select a page to create a cloud of its tags or categories. Learn more
 

Click on any image for larger view.

Accidental double-exposure, 1940s.
 
 
Photo booth of a lovely girl who knows how to pose.
 
 
Strange snapshot of a man with bandaged eyes. 
Years of being folded onto itself stained the left side of this photo with a mirror image.
 
 
On the back of this photo reads “Dottie’s big foot!”
Looking a lot like Snow White, this young girl awaits her prince to go to the prom. But did he come?
A blank stare with zero emotion gives the viewer room to add his/her own meaning to an anonymous snapshot.
 
                                The location of this photograph is unknown, but it depicts the tradition of African scarring.  The tonalities of this image is just …
 
 
Posed image with wonderful tonalities. 
An unusual card-backed 19th century photograph with the profile of a rooster.
 
Neatly folded in halves, this photo booth image appears as if the couple is viewing us through a window.
 
 
 
An extremely rare sheet of 48 small portrait studio images, c. 1945.
“Portraits by everyday people reveal an honesty usually not seen in professional studio work. Here, we see the subject at ease, disarmed and open because they know who is taking their photograph.”
— John Foster
 
This little person seemed none to happy at having this photo made.The sawtooth pattern above only add to the uncomfortable moment.c. 1920
 
 
 
Russian studio portrait, 1951.
Photo booth of a 1920s Flapper Girl, with fur collar and bedroom eyes. 
 
 

If you like what you see here, you may be interested in purchasing my book, The Vernacular Portrait. Many more extraordinary portraits are included there.

 
 
 
VIEW ALL COLLECTIONS