Since this entry is photo-heavy, I decided to give you the option to ignore it.
That being said, you should come in to see some pretty amazing
The Library of Congress has just released a huge set of color photographs from the American 1940's. Apparently, there was a propaganda effort with color transparancies, and only now do we get the full treatment.
It's strange seeing this era in color. I have only had access to the 40's in black-and-white until now, with the rare Life Magazine special giving me a glimpse of a colorful window into the pre-war effort. I have difficulty seeing the pictures as photographs, as opposed to staged, with actors. The clothing isn't costume; the buildings aren't sets. These are real people, and the scenery is gorgeous.
Also strange is the timelessness of some of the pictures. This last one could be taken at a modern state fair in Wisconsin. I mean, if those girls gained twenty pounds each. And their parents were fighting over Xbox 360s.
There are over 160,000 color photos at the Library of Congress in this collection. Going to the website is overwhelming. I want to change my desktop wallpaper, but I don't even know where to begin.
For more images, visit the exhibition home page here. Or you can go to the library of congress pages here and here.
I think they're so beautiful. I wonder if there's any similar collection of photographs taken during WW2 in Europe.