50 Unexplainable Photos

[martinsantos]

Mid-30s saw a little mania about trickery in photography... Several by a German photographer, widely published all over the world until the 60s, Dr Otto Croy. The technics are VERY difficult, and only factible with large negatives. Most of the results I see are just silly. Or not well-done. Or both. (more or less in the same way we see now people altering photos with photoshop).

(In respect of Dr Croy, his book on retouching is very good.)

Look Ma! No head!

 

[JimWagner]

1897
Guinea pig house at Seacliff Hospital.

Looks like it's a stereopticon picture. Can't resolve the 3D with my bare eyes, though.

 

[docneg]

J. EDGAR HOOVER AT THIRTEEN???

Jeez, it really does look like Hoover.

 

[JimWagner]

Looks like it's a stereopticon picture. Can't resolve the 3D with my bare eyes, though.

Just looked at that pic on my Xoom and resolved it into 3D bare eyed there. Cool picture.

 

[Mario]

Mid-30s saw a little mania about trickery in photography... Several by a German photographer, widely published all over the world until the 60s, Dr Otto Croy. The technics are VERY difficult, and only factible with large negatives. Most of the results I see are just silly. Or not well-done. Or both. (more or less in the same way we see now people altering photos with photoshop).

Agreed! Even with Photoshop and all those other tools it's still difficult to do properly. Photoshop aside, I used to work with a variety of 3D and compositing packages (Maya, Shake, Combustion) and it still takes a lof of experience and a well-trained eye, even if it's only some kind of dust-busting or wire-removal job.

 

[martinsantos]

The most funny trick (and almost everybody tried once or twice) is double exposition covering the lens, so you can appear perfectly several times in the same photo. Croy wrote a lot about a "trick box" to do this, very interesting! Never saw one, had to do my experiences with black paper over the lens. Never worked very well.

Agreed! Even with Photoshop and all those other tools it's still difficult to do properly. Photoshop aside, I used to work with a variety of 3D and compositing packages (Maya, Shake, Combustion) and it still takes a lof of experience and a well-trained eye, even if it's only some kind of dust-busting or wire-removal job.

 

[Warbaby]

One of the odd things I collect is cabinet card photos of cross-eyed kids. This one always makes me smile...

 

[jamespowers]

One of the odd things I collect is cabinet card photos of cross-eyed kids. This one always makes me smile...

Marty Feldman the early years.

 

[Zombie_61]

Technically, Marty Feldman was wall-eyed (allegedly as a result of botched surgery after a car accident), not cross-eyed.

 

[jamespowers]

Technically, Marty Feldman was wall-eyed, not cross-eyed (as a result of botched surgery after a car accident).

Close enough.

 

[Richard Warren]

Most of this is pretty funny but it saddens me to see J. Edgar Hoover thoughtlessly maligned.

 

[scooter]

Well, at the risk of starting an inflammatory exchange, history shows us relatively conclusively, Mr. Hoover maligned a good number of people. I don't think it is unbearable that we enjoy a bit of humor at his expense.

 

[Fitzcarraldo]

I lost my virginity!!!

A day in the farm for some city boys. WW2 in UK.

WWII MICKY MOUSE GAS MASK (RESPIRATOR)

Child's Gas Mask given to the public as a loan by the Government during WW2.

Made to resemble the cartoon character 'Mickey Mouse' and coloured red and blue to try and entice children into wearing them.
Your comments:

I still have my mask in its cardboard box in excellent condition.

Diving under my great grandmas dining table during an air raid and
swallowing a three pence piece, to which she thumped my back, so I
got it back. She lived in Southend at the back of the Kursal. by the
way I had my mask on at the time.
.......... John Osborn, Peterborough Cambridgeshire, 21st of October 2010
http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/expand.php?key=713

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22326055@N06/4194704259/

 

[rotebander]

I think this thread needs to have a button handy. Please use as needed:

[video=youtube;bcYppAs6ZdI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcYppAs6ZdI&feature=related[/video]


I want to marry a man like the ones in 23 and 43

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight.

A while ago, I was watching this documentary on the Dust Bowl (the most disturbing and depressing piece of programing I have ever watched besides the fire at the Triangle). I thought that it said (now I could be wrong about this), that many people were lured out west because they saw pictures or ads of really big fruits and vegetables. The picture of the large pickle reminded me of this for some reason. Although, I'm pretty sure that was an innocent novelty picture (or is it?).

I also thought the picture of the woman and the bear on the bed was interesting.

What exactly was on that mattress anyways and why do those women look so darn happy? :eeek:

I have to admit (in addition to several of the other photos posted on here) that the baby armadillo freaked me out! It was so weird looking. I don't mind armadillos actually. I think they are interesting creatures. Dracula obviously never had any problems with armadillos either.

The skeleton photos didn't really surprise me. One time I was at the Huntington Gardens and in one exhibit they had these drawings of skeletons that were completely animated. For an example, a skeleton reading a book. It must have been a common thing to do then.

 

[RichardH]

Contrary to popular belief, breakdancing was invented during the second world war by the German army!

 

[RichardH]

Hitler: "So a priest, nun and a rabbi walks into a bar......."

 

[Edward]

That skeleton fellow gets around.

Caption:

Cat: "You embarrasses me. For this you dieses in your sleeps."

What on earth...?

Is this an extreme cloesup of some sort of bug? Could they even do that back then? Or it an armadillo? WHAT! I'm confused!

The herald of our Dark Lord Cthulu! He rises!

 

[hatophile]

Contrary to popular belief, breakdancing was invented during the second world war by the German army!

No matter how hard he tried, Heinz just could not seem to master the Goose Step.

 

[Chas]

Most of this is pretty funny but it saddens me to see J. Edgar Hoover thoughtlessly maligned.

Ayi, caramba. This is quite possibly the silliest post I have ever seen.