Then and Now

 One of the constants of our world is change. Whether it is the price of eggs or the hardly discernible changes in the depth of the Grand Canyon, hardly anything stays the same. The height of the trees in our yards and the richness of the paint on our houses, over time it all changes, often in ways we don’t notice.

    When seeing things day after day we tend to overlook the changes if we notice them at all. They become the “new” normal. This is the way they have always looked, or so we think!

    Photography shows us the changes. Pictures show us the ways things used to be, they are a great memory aid! Looking at pictures from the past show us the changes in clothing styles, the cars that used to be driving down our streets and the buildings that used to sit in the empty lot at the end of the block.

    Looking through a pile of old pictures takes us back in time. We remember the events we were at, the family gatherings, both the good ones and the sad ones. Seeing the people that have passed on keeps them present in our minds. Hopefully the dates and details were written on the backsides!

    When I became involved in black and white film photography, I was rather anal about saving my negatives and the proof sheets. During the past year I have been digitally copying these negatives and saving them to a hard drive. I have been reliving the adventures and trips I had taken 30 or 40 years ago. I have been recently attempting to retake some of the pictures I had taken back in the 80’s and 90’s, to show the differences. Some of the reshoots have been taken with a digital camera and some of them, with a film camera. Of course, I enjoyed taking the film shots more than the digital, even though there was a little more time and effort involved with them.

    Here are a few of the pictures from the 80's, the older picture first and then the current shot afterward. Hopefully you will recognize some of the places I visited around the Pittsburgh area! Sadly, not all of the negatives were dated…

East Ohio Street on the North Side, June 1988 & September 2025 

!0^th Street and Exchange Way, January 1984 & July 2025

Liberty Ave. September 1988 and October 2025

 

Rt. 28 bridges from Sharpsburg 1984 & September 2025

16^th Street Bridge & Progress St. 1986 & September 2025 (digital)

Under the Veterans Bridge 1984 & September 2025 (digital)

Chestnut Street, North Side August 1986 & July 2025 

Gas station on Mt. Royal Blvd. April 1986 & September 2025 (digital)

    As you can see, change happens. Sometimes it is for the better and other times... well, you know. All I can say is, remember to date your pictures so you’ll be able to tell when and where they were taken. Our memories aren’t as good as we’d like to think they are! It’s amazing how much can change in 30 or 40 years, memories included!

My Photographic Memory

 

Looking through some of the thousands of pictures and slides I’ve taken over the years, I’ve come to a realization. This collection of “snapshots”; weddings, baptisms vacations, camping trips and other adventures are all memory aids.

    When I was in grade school I could never figure out why the teachers wanted us to remember things.  Take state capitals, “OK, now how often do you think I’ll need those in the future?” The names of the Presidents or how to diagram a sentence, they might come in handy eventually but do I need to commit them to memory? Multiplication tables and mathematical functions… well, they were used a lot in my future, they did come in handy!

    I, in my infinite wisdom back in grade school, figured if I knew where and how to get the information, why did I need to memorize it?

    Much as I hate to say it, there is a lot that I’ve forgotten. I will be forever in need of my notebooks and calendars. There is a reason that I write down people’s birthdays and the dates they have left us. Simply said, if I didn’t note them, they’d be gone.

    While listing these dates and names on my new 2023 calendar, I was debating whether or not to skip a few names. There are a couple men I used to work with decades ago, should I eliminate their names since I no longer work with them or see anyone who would even remember them? I decided to keep them there, as long as their name is on the calendar, they will be remembered. Saying their names keeps them alive in my memory.

    I can’t recall things like I used to, my memory never was a great one. If there are a lot of names in a novel I’m reading, I keep a slip of paper in the book to help keep track of who is who. I have trouble remembering the plots of books I’ve read, the names and details don’t stay with me, even the books I love. I’m familiar with the night sky but to pull out the names of stars and constellations can sometimes be daunting. I won’t go as far as to say my memory is terrible but it sure isn’t good. I have always envied those who can call up facts, names and dates at a moment’s notice. This is something that was never meant to be for me.

    This is one of the reasons my camera and photography is important. In a way it acts as my memory. I take pictures of the places I go, things I enjoy doing, and people I like and love. Looking back at these pictures helps me remember those occasions. I usually can tell where a shot was taken and who I was with but the dates often leave me floundering. Thank heavens I’ve put notations on most of my slides and pictures!

    Being able to remember things is a wonderful ability; we don’t know how lucky we are to have it! Thankfully, my grade school declaration has proved helpful in my life. I can usually find where the information I need is, especially in these modern days of computer aids.

    I have lots more slides and negatives to sort through and I’m loving it because of all the memories they’re bringing back. They truly are my photographic memory!

    Happy New Year and may this upcoming year provide us all with lots more wonderful memories!