We humans are fascinated by the visual. We like to preserve the oddest things — even things we shouldn’t. We capture candid moments, stages of a person’s life, the unimaginable and unbelievable, the poignant, and much more. We seem to use photographs, at times, to prevent the ravages of loss of memory, the wages of forgetfulness. The following are sites sharing photographs of the memorable and the forgotten.
Square America – http://www.squareamerica.com/index.htm
“A gallery of vintage snapshots & vernacular photography.” Frequently updated (daily they say). They don’t lie when they say some of these images are a little weird. It’s sometimes a little bizarre what people choose to photograph.
Modern Ruins Photographic Essays – http://oboylephoto.com/ruins/index.htm
Equally as bizarre, at times, as what we will keep, are the things we abandon. “Ruins are a window into human histories, they tell the tales of the past through the architecture and objects left behind. Ruins capture the imagination with their ability to tell stories, the rich language of architecture opens a window to the past, a poetry of architectural spaces, structures and found objects capture past events and offers them to the keen observer.”
Deserted Farms – http://www.islandia.is/~nokkvi/page1.htm
With his emphasis on the abandoned farms of his native Iceland, Nökkvi ElÃasson also shows us some wonderful images of people and natural spaces.
Malls of America – http://mallsofamerica.blogspot.com/
Our fascination with the past, and desire to capture it, is just as keen with places as it is with people. Here are a selection of photographs of shopping malls from the 60s 70s. My, how architecture has changed.
EarthCam – Webcam Network – http://www.earthcam.com/
The most amazing thing about the Internet is its ability to make the world a very small, and connected, place. Webcams are only one way in which we do that, and this site provides pointers to hundreds of webcams around the world, sorted by subject.
World Photo Locations – http://www.worldphotolocations.com/home.phtml
“Knowing where to go, and when to be there, is the key to successful photography. This site aims to share information and images from the world’s best photo locations to help you plan your photographic trip and save you having to search for the best viewpoints.”
Time & Life Pictures – http://www.timelifepictures.com/ms_timepix/source/home/home.aspx?pg=1
Magazines like National Geographic and Time have been delighting us with some of the most memorable photography the world’s ever seen. This site allows you to sift through Time/Life’s collection of memorable imagery.
