it wouldn't be make believe if you believed in me
September 21, 2007 8:06 PM Subscribe
ColdChef, here's the story behind the song - but I think this photo tradition pre-dates that. Some of these look Edwardian.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:12 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 8:12 PM on September 21, 2007
Folk art fantasies: photographer's backdrops
In the Eastern U.S. during the 1870s, an immigrant New Yorker named Jose Mora operated a successful photography establishment that boasted more than 150 painted backgrounds. Among them were winter scenes, landscapes and seascapes, tropical vistas, ancient ruins, scenery from Egypt to Siberia, leafy bowers, vine-entwined columns, urns, exotic flowers, Moorish arches, neatly turned balustrades, steps and curving stairs, richly decorated Victorian house interiors, fine furniture and libraries stocked with simulated books. Most of these props were made by L. W. Seavey, a manufacturer of accessories for photographic galleries and considered by some "the first background painter of the world."(1) "First," in this case, must have meant "foremost," for around 1840 Antoine Claudet, a French daguerreotypist living in London, is credited with being the first to use a painted background.(2) Not long afterward backdrops of many descriptions were in general use throughout the photographed world. Artists of various talents were called upon for this work. The best were, naturally, those painters with previous experience in creating similar large-scale murals such as theatrical scenery and other pictorial backgrounds.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:18 PM on September 21, 2007
In the Eastern U.S. during the 1870s, an immigrant New Yorker named Jose Mora operated a successful photography establishment that boasted more than 150 painted backgrounds. Among them were winter scenes, landscapes and seascapes, tropical vistas, ancient ruins, scenery from Egypt to Siberia, leafy bowers, vine-entwined columns, urns, exotic flowers, Moorish arches, neatly turned balustrades, steps and curving stairs, richly decorated Victorian house interiors, fine furniture and libraries stocked with simulated books. Most of these props were made by L. W. Seavey, a manufacturer of accessories for photographic galleries and considered by some "the first background painter of the world."(1) "First," in this case, must have meant "foremost," for around 1840 Antoine Claudet, a French daguerreotypist living in London, is credited with being the first to use a painted background.(2) Not long afterward backdrops of many descriptions were in general use throughout the photographed world. Artists of various talents were called upon for this work. The best were, naturally, those painters with previous experience in creating similar large-scale murals such as theatrical scenery and other pictorial backgrounds.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:18 PM on September 21, 2007
Nice! Listen to this (or similar) while you watch!
posted by trip and a half at 8:19 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by trip and a half at 8:19 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
Your posts rock. Period. :)
posted by miss lynnster at 8:43 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 8:43 PM on September 21, 2007
Brings to mind the portrait photography of Disfarmer.
posted by ericb at 9:03 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by ericb at 9:03 PM on September 21, 2007
Nice!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:07 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:07 PM on September 21, 2007
Charming photographs and wonderfully put together post dear mjjj.
Such a simple photography device but delightful, a likeable fantasy, sitting among the stars on a crescent moon. I like this dreamy one and this one.
Those fantasy photographers' backgrounds are always amusing, strange, and usually likably surreal. Touched up photographs of yore can be surreal too, like the Thomas Dworzak ones of the Taliban.
Poster for the movie, Paper Moon. Wondered how it got its name, here's the story.
Melinina Mercuri singing Paper Moon video.
1933 Cliff Edwards ukulele song video by 78man.
posted by nickyskye at 9:10 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
Such a simple photography device but delightful, a likeable fantasy, sitting among the stars on a crescent moon. I like this dreamy one and this one.
Those fantasy photographers' backgrounds are always amusing, strange, and usually likably surreal. Touched up photographs of yore can be surreal too, like the Thomas Dworzak ones of the Taliban.
Poster for the movie, Paper Moon. Wondered how it got its name, here's the story.
Melinina Mercuri singing Paper Moon video.
1933 Cliff Edwards ukulele song video by 78man.
posted by nickyskye at 9:10 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
love love love it.
I've been interested in these photo backdrops this year and idly thought about re-creating one.
Thanks.
posted by Miko at 9:15 PM on September 21, 2007
I've been interested in these photo backdrops this year and idly thought about re-creating one.
Thanks.
posted by Miko at 9:15 PM on September 21, 2007
When I die, I'm going to heaven with madamjujuive, miss lynster, and nickyskye. Cliff Edwards will be there, and I will no longer have to try to search for Eartha Kitt's recording of 'Home Sweet Heaven'.
posted by trip and a half at 9:24 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by trip and a half at 9:24 PM on September 21, 2007
er, madamjujujive. I suck here on Earth.
posted by trip and a half at 9:28 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by trip and a half at 9:28 PM on September 21, 2007
er, miss lynnster sorry
posted by trip and a half at 9:31 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by trip and a half at 9:31 PM on September 21, 2007
Interesting fantasy trip&1/2, what does it mean?
Tammy Grimes' recording of Home Sweet Heaven?
posted by nickyskye at 9:50 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
Tammy Grimes' recording of Home Sweet Heaven?
posted by nickyskye at 9:50 PM on September 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
I guess it means I can't distinguish Tammy Grimes from Eartha Kitt! (But you're all still on my list... just you wait!)
(And I've a feelin' that the ceilin's by Bernini!)
Thanks! Ordered.
posted by trip and a half at 10:07 PM on September 21, 2007
(And I've a feelin' that the ceilin's by Bernini!)
Thanks! Ordered.
posted by trip and a half at 10:07 PM on September 21, 2007
I just spent far too much time perusing these, dreaming up backstory for each and every individual whilst listening to the audio links provided above.
An excellent way to spend an afternoon!
posted by squasha at 10:09 PM on September 21, 2007
An excellent way to spend an afternoon!
posted by squasha at 10:09 PM on September 21, 2007
Love the variation in set detail almost as much as the people. Just fabulous. Thanks, madamjujujive.
posted by mediareport at 10:22 PM on September 21, 2007
posted by mediareport at 10:22 PM on September 21, 2007
Thanks mjjj. Recogedor is well deserving of a plug - I've been following them for some months. They find great stuff.
posted by peacay at 12:07 AM on September 22, 2007
posted by peacay at 12:07 AM on September 22, 2007
We'll crucify the insincere tonight
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 7:58 AM on September 22, 2007
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 7:58 AM on September 22, 2007
Thanks for all the nice comments and links, guys! It's so nice when Mefi's being sweet and not snarky. Not that I don't love me some snarky ;-)
Nice musical accompaniments! Here's another: Herbie Hancock at the Mt Fuju jazz festival doing Paper Moon.
I agree about the set details, mediareport - the faces on the moon are pretty interesting photo to photo. A few of them are pretty bizarre, leering, diabolical, and scary. The other portraits that ericb and nickyskye pointed out are right on target, the same type of portrait studio photographers.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:01 AM on September 22, 2007
Nice musical accompaniments! Here's another: Herbie Hancock at the Mt Fuju jazz festival doing Paper Moon.
I agree about the set details, mediareport - the faces on the moon are pretty interesting photo to photo. A few of them are pretty bizarre, leering, diabolical, and scary. The other portraits that ericb and nickyskye pointed out are right on target, the same type of portrait studio photographers.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:01 AM on September 22, 2007
So awesome! A couple of years ago at Burning Man my camp built a paper moon (pics) swing and it was totally sweet. It was great as an antidote to all the high tech loudness everywhere. At every time of the day and night you could go by and see couples swinging on it, kids playing on it, or entire squadrons of panda-bear-suited ravers blissing out on it.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:33 AM on September 22, 2007
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:33 AM on September 22, 2007
These are wonderful, thank you! There's a play just waiting to be written about these...hmm...
posted by ilana at 9:43 AM on September 22, 2007
posted by ilana at 9:43 AM on September 22, 2007
Wow, loved these. What a great find.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:49 AM on September 22, 2007
posted by oneirodynia at 10:49 AM on September 22, 2007
otherworldlyglow, love your Burning Man pics - great idea to do have that! Thanks for sharing the link.
posted by madamjujujive at 1:29 PM on September 22, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 1:29 PM on September 22, 2007
Nickyskye , the Taliban Secret Photos link is great!
posted by of strange foe at 7:36 PM on September 22, 2007
posted by of strange foe at 7:36 PM on September 22, 2007
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posted by ColdChef at 8:08 PM on September 21, 2007