10 Historical Photos of Eyes that Convey Human Emotions

July 3, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

History is filled with incredible stories, cruel wars, and iconic personalities. A while back we shared 15 Rare Historic Photos, today we would like to give to you 10 incredible photos of eyes, from history, which say more than words ever could. The initiative came from Santabanta, a forum where different people shared historical images where the eyes tell hear-warming stories. Psychology also tells us that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, and the following photos are a perfect example to support this statement. They are emotional, encouraging stills of people who have experienced envy, fear, madness and many other feelings.

The Look of Fear

Hans-Georg Henke is a 15-year-old German soldier who has seen the worst of the world. His father died in 1938. He was soon followed by the mother, 6 years later. Having become an orphan, Hans was forced to enroll in the army to support himself. He joined the Luftwaffe, and on April 3, 1945, he was captured by the US 9^th Army in Recthenbach. This photo was taken when he was captured. You can clearly see the fear and tears in his eyes, as his world crumbled to the ground.

The Look of Envy

This is one of the most iconic photos of history. In it, Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield attend the 20^th Century Fox party. The party was organized in Sophia Loren’s honor on April 12^th, 1957. The envy in the woman’s eyes is visible, when she measures the size of the blonde’s bust.

The Look of Caution

Sharbat Gula, an orphan from Afghanistan, was captured in what would become one of the most circulated images on the internet. Her parents were killed after a Soviet strike on her home. Her eyes are a perfect depiction of Caution and fear.

The Look of Acceptance

This photo, which was taken from an Einsatzgruppen soldier’s personal album, was labeled as the “Last Jew of Vinnitsa”, and it was taken in Ukraine, in 1941. It is one of the most tragic stills from the Second World War, and it portrays a Jewish man, kneeling in front of a mass grave. The photo was taken shortly before he was shot to the head.

“The neutral expressions on the shooter and his uniformed audience pretty well encapsulate that concept: they could be watching a barber cut hair, instead of the heartless extermination of innocents. Humans can adapt to endure almost anything, but in doing so, they sometimes perpetuate incredible evil. The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”

Image Source: RareHistoricalPhotos

The Look of Joy

This photo is if a survivor from the hospital in the SS garrison of Belsen. The woman is extremely think, so thin that you can barely see her, yet she is so happy to have been released that she glows. The woman was liberated in 1945.

The Look of Panic

Everybody has heard about the Hillsborough disaster, but many still do not know what the victims from that day felt. This photo was taken in 1989, during the FA cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool. On that day, 96 people were killed and 766 suffered of severe injuries. It remains the worst stadium-related disaster in history.

Image Source: PhotosofWar

The Look of Shame

Here’s another photo from World War 2. This French woman had her hair shaved for consorting with German troops.

The Look of Despair

I have never seen a photo that so clearly portrays desperation. This woman, lying on the pavement of a Warsaw ghetto is skin and bone. The photo was taken by Heinz Joest, a German soldier, in 1941.

Image Source: Wien.gv.at

The Look of Awe

Children express emotion in its purest form. In this photo, taken during a Puppet show in Paris, 1963, the children witness a dragon being slain for the first time. The photo was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Image Source: Life.time

The Look of Defeat

Our last photo is one of the World War II Battle of Salingrad. In it, the Germans were cut from medical supplies and heating fuel, and died of frostbite, diseases and malnutrition. In the photo, a Red Army soldier marches a German soldier to captivity.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org

Oleg Oprisco: the Brilliant Photographer with an Old $50 Film Camera

May 2, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

Finally, Ukraine has just made the news for something other than its turbulent political situation. Thanks to its brilliant Lviv-based photographer Oleg Oprisco, Ukraine is now mentioned in relation to stunning surreal art. We wholeheartedly welcome the change, as maybe, just maybe, more beauty will somehow make the world a better and more peaceful place. (Don’t we all cling to similar hopes, deep down, as corny as it may sound?) Besides the welcome change in how Ukraine is introduced in the day’s headlines, it’s also nice that Oleg adds to the still small number of Eastern European artists known abroad.

But what sets this artist apart from all others lies in the strange equipment he uses (strange for these days, at least): an old $50 worth film camera, the Kiev 6C model (and sometimes also a Kiev 88). Oleg Oprisco even mentioned that he sometimes holds photography workshops. He finds it very funny to stand there in front of his students, who are all holding $2000-$3000 cameras on their desks, while he sits there with his old fashioned thing. And yet, just look at how breathtaking and surreal his photos look with his older equipment! A first look would make us all think that the images are not only highly processed, but also initially shot with a fancy expensive camera. I guess there was really some truth after all in that old saying that a true artist is not defined by his instruments, just like Oleg Oprisco proved.

Incredibly, there’s not a great amount of processing happening. The authors says that while post-production may take several hours, he firmly believes that no amount of photoshop can turn a bad picture into a good one. All he does is re-touch the color a bit where needed and remove any dust effects. That’s it. Looking at how stunningly beautiful his images are, it’s pretty unbelievable, right?

Though the camera models used by Oleg Oprisco are pretty ancient for the tastes of most contemporary photographers, that doesn’t mean he’s against technology and knowing your machine the best you can. He uses a medium-format film for his two cameras, but a variety of lenses according to the picture he plans to take. Speaking of planning, he’s definitely not a spontaneous shooter. Every photo he takes is carefully planned to the utmost detail. Before even dreaming of preparing the required props, he first envisions the concept, and imagines it all in a single main color palette. Then, when proceeding to prepare the clothes, props, location and so on, he makes sure that everything plays within a single color range. If you look carefully at his photos presented here you’ll probably catch a whiff of his favorite color themes (and a hint that he likes the way redheads look).

As to the subject of each photo, Oleg Oprisco says they are all inspired from his life or at least from real life in general. Even though his final images could be best described as surreal, he’s not much into abstract art as well. He likes to keep things grounded, which is precisely why he uses little post-photo manipulation and takes his inspiration directly from what he claims to be his life and his feelings. I’d say that’s a pretty interesting life and some beautiful feelings, right there! (I hope everyone can detect the envy here.)

As for advice to aspiring photographers, Oleg only has one thing to say. “If you really feel this is your calling, go for it to the extreme. Drop your job and everything and just shoot; the rest will follow.”

Mighty bold words, but somehow, when you look at his photos, you can’t help but sense the truth in them.

Source of the photos and information: here.

15 Rare Historic Photos You Should See

March 28, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

History is mysterious and exciting. Just when we think we’ve found out all there is to know about a certain event, new evidence is discovered. Although humans look to the future, they can’t help but look back. The fact of the matter is that the world as we know it has been shaped by previous generations and there are certain monumental events that will never be forgotten. What better way to celebrate them than by immortalizing them with incredible photography? The following historic photos show us a glimpse of life since World War I.

A few weeks back we shared with you breath-taking photography taken of Calcified Animals on the Lake Natron, and today we would like to present some of the best rare historic photos.

1. In 1972, Charles Duke embarked on the mission to explore the moon’s surface with a lunar roving vehicle. While he was there, he also took a picture of himself, his wife, and his two sons, which he sealed in plastic. He left it on the moon’s surface, and it probably remains there to this day.

2. The Hidenburg Disaster, May 6, 1937

3. Everyone knows how the Statue of Liberty look finished, but have you ever seen a photo of it under construction? Here’s a great one, from Paris in 1884. Lady Liberty was actually a gift from the French to the Americans.

4. Evils Presley in the Army, in 1958

5. Back in 1947, 23-year-old Evelyn McHale jumped from the observation deck of the Empire’s State building, and crashed on a limousine parked beneath. This photography was taken soon after by photography student Robert Wiles. It was re-used years later by Andy Warhol for an art print.

6. Martin Luther King, Jr. with his son, removing a burnt cross from his front yard, 1960

7. Hotel owner pouring acid in the pool while African-Americans were still in it.

8. The Titanic accident was indeed a great tragedy that most of us remember through the eyes of the Oscar Winning movie. Here’s is a photo from 1912, when the survivors were boarding the Carpathia ship.

9. It’s rare to see a man laugh during his execution. This was the case of a Russian Spy who was caught and executed in 1939, in Finland, during the Winter War.

10. An incredible photo of Tsar Nicholas II, who allows his daughter, the Duchess Anastasia to smoke from his pipe.

11. Did you know what Queen Elizabeth participated in World War II? Here are some images. You should also check out our article about the Impending International political problems that might hint a WWIII scenario.

12. Construction of the Berlin Wall, in 1961

13. A photo of the infamous lion roar on the MGM logo, taken from another angle.

14. Osama Bin Laden was immortalized with his family, in 1970, in Sweden. He is the one with green shirt and blue pants. (second on the right).

15. Before the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the country was preparing to adopt democracy, and equal rights for women. During that time, women also had access to books, non-traditional clothing, education, public transportation, and spaces. This didn’t last long, as, since 1990’s, the Taliban government from the forbid them access to education.

Image Sources: 9gag.com, TheBoredPanda

Comical Close-Ups of Ping Pong Players Mid-Match

August 3, 2012 By Vernon Gadson Leave a Comment

Well, the 2012 Olympics are well underway in London, England. I’m sure you’ve all been glued to your sofas, watching the world’s greatest athletes swim and cycle and sprint and ride and row and shoot and punch and murder (okay, maybe not murder), breaking world records hither and thither, all in the name of bagging a gold, silver or bronze medal for their home country. But hey, how about a bit of a lighthearted break from the heart-racing tension of it all, courtesy of London-based arts site It’s Nice That?

The site, which specialises in showcasing artwork and photography, has published several close-up images of professional ping pong players’ faces mid-match. As you’ll see below, the players display an ever-so-comical expression on their faces that draws a fine line between fierce competitiveness and feckless bewilderment. It’s Nice That is unaware of the origin of the photos, but whoever took them, if you’re out there somewhere, thank you for sharing these with us. [Read more…]

Kristin and Kayla: Adorable Sisters in Amazing Photos

July 11, 2012 By Vernon Gadson Leave a Comment

Here’s something guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Jason Lee, a California-based American wedding photographer of eight years, has become something of an internet sensation thanks to funny and imaginative pictures taken by Lee of his two adorable young girls, Kristin (8) and Kayla (5). The photos, uploaded onto Lee’s wildly popular Flickr account, see the lively little siblings snapped as they partake in weird and wacky situations, which vary from daily chores to werewolf-hunting, ceiling fan-riding to playing Super Mario Bros. – in full-scale.

The photos of Kristin and Kayla began when Lee’s mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2006. As Kristin and Kayla were constantly sick with colds and coughs at the time, they couldn’t see their grandmother for fear that she catch their kid germs. Lee decided to start an online photo blog wherein his mother could see her granddaughters and what was going on in their lives. As time went by, the photos of Kristin and Kayla became more and more inventive and fantastical, and Lee and the girls’ internet fame was set in motion.

“Most of the ideas come from the girls,” says Lee of his creative process. “From observing them play, or hearing the funny and outrageous things they say. Their day to day life also plays a big role for my inspiration.” On his shooting technique: “After coming up with an idea, I then ‘set up’ the scene, and often use artificial lighting to enhance the images. It helps to plan out the shoot before hand, so at most, I only have them in the shoot for a minute or two.”

Below are some of the stunning, rib-tickling and heartwarming photos in Lee’s collection. If you want to see more (and why wouldn’t you?), head over to his Flickr page or his official blog. [Read more…]