Toronto. Snapshots are photographs usually taken by amateurs, often by the only person in the family who routinely records events and family members. Without such photographs, we may not remember how family members looked as they grew. If not captured, a family’s special events may become lost in time.
The photograph at left shows two teen-age sisters in 1937, between the two world wars. Their mother captured the pair that summer with a simple box camera. Annotation and careful filing in a family album gave their names and dates. The girls’ father was a serious amateur gardener, growing the plants and shrubs that covered the property – like the shrub seen here.
Snapshots may record scenes of general interest and historical significance. Or they may simply capture images of family members and events of no particular interest to anyone but future family members.
A fitting song for this post is, “Sisters” sung by Rosemary Clooney. The two sisters in the above photograph were close throughout their lives. Both lived into their mid eighties.