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| THE BLOWING ROCK, BLOWING ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA One of North Carolina's principal scenic attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway. |
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| LAKE OF THE CLOUDS In the Porcupine Mountains, highest section of Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. |
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| OZARK MOUNTAINS Beautiful scenic views are found throughout the colorful and rustic Ozark Mountains. |
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| RED CANYON OF THE GREEN RIVER A lake will fill approx. 450 feet of this 1,700 deep canyon when the Upper Colorado River dam project is completed (ca. 1957) |
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| CRATER LAKE, OREGON Children feeding the chipmunk at this famous and beautiful National Park. |
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| VIEW FROM MT. SPOKANE Looking southeast, Spokane, Washington |
One category that I look for are those that I call "vicarious views." These are ones that include a human observer of the view in the foreground and enable me to view the scene vicariously. The postcards in this post all have the observer on the edge of something, so I am calling them Postcards from the Edge.
The videos below have nothing, other than the title, in common with my Postcards from the Edge or the famous Postcards from the Edge book and movie. The videos document the 16th annual Postcards from the Edge exhibition, a benefit for the Visual AIDS organization, whose mission is utilizing art "to fight AIDS by provoking dialogue, supporting HIV+ artists, and preserving a legacy, because AIDS is not over." The exhibition consists of original, postcard-sized works on paper by established and emerging artists. The art is sold to benefit the organization's mission.
Watch the videos and get a vicarious view of the exhibition.
Visit Sepia Saturday
For More Vintage Images
I agree with you about having a person or persons present in pictures presenting a scenic view. My dad used to take pictures of scenery & while beautiful, they weren't as interesting until my mom finally suggested he start having one or two of the family somehow in the pictures and it made all the difference in the world. The Postcards From The Edge exhibition was interesting. My favorite postcard (could you really mail it?) was the 3D one with a bunch of yarn or string or ? all bunched up on it.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right about all those scenic postcards with no human interest, but they are far more common than the ones you have shown, sadly.
ReplyDeleteI used to buy postcards when travelling because I thought the views on them would be better than any photos I might take, plus they were ok when that was the only way to communicate to friends or relatives about your holiday, but these days I'm not so sure. An emailed photograph is so much more interesting, plus it will arrive instantly, rather than 2 weeks or more after you get back! You see lots of free postcards now for various events or causes, but I can't imagine anyone would actually post them anywhere, unless they were desperate for something to write on. We have an Australian app called Oz Postcards, that lets you create postcards from your photos wherever you are travelling worldwide and then mails them for you from Australia to friends anywhere, for little more than the Australian price of postage.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess to using Facebook to do that these days, lets family know where we are and we're still OK, just so easy from the mobile phone. I wonder how much this is affecting the Post Card Industry.
DeleteAmazingly enough there are still some people who and stay away from Facebook because of its so-called dangers, and some who don't do email or may not have computers at all - and they include a few of my relatives!
DeleteI'd never thought about people in Post Cards before and I have never knowingly bought one, but I do like this collection of yours and have to agree about seeing the fashion of the day.
ReplyDeleteI do like a bit of vintage clothing. The reds are so....well ...red.
ReplyDeleteVery appropriate vistas. These postcards use the same technique of posing people precariously on a rock that 19th century photographers used for scenic cabinet photographs and stereoview cards. It creates that subtle vicarious thrill of danger too.
ReplyDeleteLOL. When we go on holidays we end up with photos of my husband in various interesting spots but none of me because I'm the one with the camera.
ReplyDeleteYes, and your travel blogs are marvellous - quite the best way to let people know what you've been seeing with a little bit of information to help you understand. Any photo or postcard without some text is useless.
DeleteOh yes! No rails??? This reminds me of my visit to the Grand Canyon - there are LOADS of places where you can just walk right out on some precarious ledge. I saw many people doing it too. Even if sure-footed, the wind could blow them to their death, it seems.
ReplyDeletePostcards from the Edge is a very apt title. I can never understand how close people will go the edge of sheer drops. I saw people in Norway dangling their feet of the 1000ft drop from the edge of the Pupil Rock.. No-one would have worn such thin clothing there even in summer.
ReplyDeleteAs always great postcards, we have been to all these sights except for the Mt Spokane view although we made several trips to and through Spokane, never checked on that. I'm not one for edge looking but appreciate views. .
ReplyDeleteGreat postcards to match the theme and I liked your apt title. I agree with other comments, having a person in the shot, made all the different to its impact.
ReplyDeleteLove the photo of the Crater Lake. Haven;t seen that before. And regardless of all the modern technology I use i still love my collection of postcards.with their stamps and postmarks, the changing style of postcard over the years, the feel of them, the way they age, the memories of people who sent them, many of whom are now dead. I can't get that from a computer or tablet. That's just me. though and the sentimental attachment to my postcards. A source of pleasure.
ReplyDeleteGreat postcards and so fitting the theme.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad always taught me to take photos with something or someone in them to give it all perspective, and it works with the postcards too.
Yes. that human touch makes all the difference and adds perspective in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteWhat everyone else said...ditto. The focus of a vista is lost when a photo is taken of it, and I often do that...will try to remember how it really helps to have something/someone in the foreground...which explains just why that distant vista was so beautiful...a perspective thing.
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