Flashback 1966 - Triptych (Please view large)

Two years ago, I found this old Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera at a garage sale, and I bought it for $2.00! It’s not a rare model, to be sure, but my mom had one very similar to that, and the sight of it brought up a lot of pleasant memories.

It was the first camera that I remember seeing in use in our family, and the first one that I ever tried myself as well. I was fascinated by the way it was held at waist level and I felt so grown up when my mom showed me how to use it for the first time. I must have been about 6 or 7 at the time… Another great memory.

I decided to make a shot of the Brownie, trying to depict the concept of childhood souvenirs. My sister found my old Skipper doll (Barbie’s younger sister) and gave it back to me some time ago. I received that doll when I was five, as a present when I had my tonsils removed. I can still remember the joy of opening the wardrobe case and fingering all the tiny garments on little plastic hangers. I loved her hair because my Skipper was a redhead just like my baby sister!

Finally there is another keepsake from my childhood that I cherish and still use once in a while. It’s my first recipe book, published by the Carnation Company in 1964 (English title was The Fun Cook Book). I love their meat loaf recipe!

I chose to make a triptych using the Brownie, the Skipper and the recipe book, as well as some old pictures taken by my mom in the 60s with her own Brownie (she had the one with a flash).

I tried to match the colours and tones of all three shots with the pictures in the image on the right made with the Brownie. Those pictures have been masked and have not been altered at all.

Please click on the thumbnails below to see a larger version of each shot