Saturday, January 11, 2025
the scenic route around Vancouver Island, Malahat Road, was completed around 1912, was paved in 1921, and evolved from a cattle trail to wagon road to major artery
guard rails weren't particularly needed, as vehicles didn't move very fast, but when they were installed, were very fundamental
read all about it at https://www.maureenduffus.com/history/malahat-drive.php
A rare large scale vintage model racing car assembled from Meccano
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or buy the kit for about 70 bucks https://www.etsy.com/listing/1042449061/build-your-own-racing-car-1950s-org because the one that IS already built is selling for about 240 bucks
William Helburn was the go-to photographer for many of the top advertising agencies in New York in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as cars and cosmetics, Helburn shot Coca-Cola, Canada Dry, whiskeys, clothing lines, airlines, etc
William Helburn's playful images are now some of the most memorable and compelling of the era, injecting humor, frivolity and a mischievous ‘shock value’ into the austere world of fashion photography and advertising.
Some very famous people posed for Helburn, including Paul Newman, Sharon Tate,
Carmen Dell’Orefice and Betsy Pickering on top of a Fifth Avenue bus in New York, 1958
Anne St. Marie, Park Avenue, New York, NY, 1958
Dovima, Jet Pilot, 1954
https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/4071/getting-to-know-photographer-william-helburn
for the best gallery, https://www.artsy.net/artist/william-helburn
or hit the library to see the book, https://www.amazon.com/William-Helburn-Mid-Century-Advertising-Photography/dp/0500517657
Georges Dambier's photograph of Lucinda London
https://www.holdenluntz.com/artists/georges-dambier/lucinda-london/
Update, today I got an email from Georges Dambier's son, Guillaume, who likes my blog and sent me a couple more photos his father made!
Speed week in the Bahamas must have been super cool in the 50s and 60s, racing, parties, and Slim Aaron’s camera was there to preserve it for posterity. He earned the good life, he'd survived being a WW2 combat photographer
Long before Instagram was making beautiful people in beautiful locations a thing, Slim Aarons was creating a world of a similar sort.
Slim, born George Aarons in 1916, begin his foray into photography taking photos at West Point and later earned a Purple Heart as an Army combat photographer in some brutal conflicts in North Africa and Europe during World War II.
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During his extraordinary career, Slim Aarons became synonymous with capturing the glamour and elegance of high society. Aarons dedicated himself to chronicling the lives of the rich and famous, creating a visual archive that showcases the opulence and sophistication of the mid-20th century. His lens immortalized the leisure activities of aristocrats, celebrities, and socialites, often set against luxurious estates, sun-drenched beaches, and exclusive resorts.
Aarons’ intimate connections with his subjects, including some of the most illustrious personalities of his time, allowed him to capture candid moments that revealed the essence of their lifestyles. His close relationships with figures such as Diana Vreeland, C.Z. Guest, and Gianni Agnelli provided unique access to private aspects of their worlds. This proximity enabled Aarons to publish numerous monographs filled with his captivating photographs.
Aarons’ intimate connections with his subjects, including some of the most illustrious personalities of his time, allowed him to capture candid moments that revealed the essence of their lifestyles. His close relationships with figures such as Diana Vreeland, C.Z. Guest, and Gianni Agnelli provided unique access to private aspects of their worlds. This proximity enabled Aarons to publish numerous monographs filled with his captivating photographs.
Here are the Cushings of Newport, The Fords of Grosse Pointe, and the Rockefellers of New York; here are the kings and queens of Beverly Hills playing croquet, the Cabots sailing off Boston's North Shore, and Barry Goldwarer on the range in Arizona. Here are the Whitneys entertaining on Long Island, the Armours in their pool in Lake Forest, the Klebergs on their Texas ranch. and the scions of Palm Beach, San Francisco, and New York having a wonderful time.
Kodachrome deserves an award
For a look at the 1955 Speed Week, photos of Tom Burnside https://automedia.revsinstitute.org/sun-sand-and-speed-an-atmospheric-look-at-the-1955-bahamas-speed-week