10. Recreating photos from the past

I'm so lucky to have such a lovely family. For one of my birthdays (which seem to be coming thick and fast!) I received a bound copy of Kodak magazines from the 1920s. For the princely sum of 2d per month (about 40p today), amateur photographers could learn tips to improve their photography, read articles from contributors, join a Kodak Fellowship and take part in photo competitions with prizes up to £100 (approx. £5000 in 2022).

The magazines are filled with photographs submitted by subscribers and examples of good/bad pictures from the editorial team. I'm browsing through one day and spot a local scene I know well, and this prompts me to go through looking for other places I recognise or can travel to easily. I have an idea to recreate some of the photographs with my own vintage cameras.

In order to be as realistic as possible, I choose to use my two Kodak cameras, a 1916 Vest Pocket Kodak (the 'soldier's camera') and an early 1920s No.1A Autographic Kodak. I realise that there will be lots of other variables I can't change, especially the availability of film. In the 1920-1930s a film speed of ISO 32 (very slow by today's standard) was considered an everyday film but higher ISO up to 80 was available to those who could afford it. The slowest film I can easily get hold of is ISO 100, so it will be tricky to recreate the exposure.

My first location is Swanage, Dorset, using a photo entitled 'The Old Mill Pond' from the May 1928 magazine. The first challenge is identifying exactly where it is taken, as despite having visited Swanage many times, we can't recall a Mill Pond! Mr Google comes up trumps and shows it tucked away behind a church. Along comes a nice sunny day, so off we set with the camera and tripod. Armed with the original photo on my phone, I wander around the Mill Pond searching out 'the spot'. Once the No.1A Autographic Kodak is on the tripod, the next challenge becomes apparent. Looking through the viewfinder the field of view is quite narrow compared to the original photo, and I need to set the camera so far back it's almost in one of the cottage's front room! Even this doesn't get me anywhere near the wide angle view from 1928 and the camera has a light leak, so it's a disappointing start.

Disappointed but determined, I head a few days later to Corfe Castle. This lovely village in Dorset is one of the most photographed locations in the county and one of our favourite spots for starting hikes and having afternoon tea. It's almost always busy with tourists meandering along the narrow pavements and traffic heading through the main High Street, so the main challenge is not getting run over and avoiding a scene full of lorries and buses.

This time I'm really pleased with the result. I think I've managed to capture the viewpoint accurately and I like the contrast between the modern and 1920s car in the foreground. The castle hasn't changed at all of course, it's looked like that for centuries!

An Autumn visit to Windsor Castle was a real treat. We had some 'experience' vouchers to use up and enjoyed a tour of the castle followed by a fabulous afternoon tea (you're right, it's a recurring theme!) As I had the 1916 Vest Pocket Kodak with me I looked for a castle photo to recreate. I spent ages faffing about trying to get the lantern in the foreground into the shot. It was only after developing that I realised the 1920s photographer must have stood further back to get the lantern at that angle, and then perhaps cropped the photo. That would have been a lot easier!

Throughout the Kodak Magazine there are numerous photographs taken in London. We visit the city several times a year for a bit of art, culture and of course photography, so taking a vintage camera with the aim of recreating some old scenes is no hardship. It's interesting seeing a city you know with new eyes, seeking out different viewpoints for the shot and imagining another amateur photographer with possibly the same camera, in the same spot, 100 years ago.

The first shot of the Royal Albert Hall was impossible to replicate the viewpoint precisely, as it would have meant climbing the railings around the Albert Memorial opposite, something I didn't feel up to on a wet miserable day in October! I love the long 1920s 'roadster' car in the foreground, the modern Royal Mail van just doesn't have the same appeal.

The next photo in Trafalgar Square presented an interesting dilemma. The viewfinder on my No.1A Autographic Kodak is on top of the camera, and the camera is held at waist/chest height whilst you look down through the viewfinder. It soon became obvious that the 1920s photographer held the camera considerably higher than I was able to achieve. Either he/she was incredibly tall or had the advantage of a tripod and step-stool. There are limits to what I'm prepared to lug around London. (Apologies for my husband who absolutely refused to wear a bowler hat!)

The next shot in Trafalgar Square, looking towards the National Gallery, was easier to recreate, lining up the edge of the fountain with the buildings behind. In the 1920s photo there appear to be 2 or 3 buses on the road in front of the Gallery. In 2022 these have been replaced by Christmas Market stalls!

And finally, my personal favourite. After the Trafalgar Square shots we spent some time in the National Gallery, wasting time until the light started to fade. Then it was a brisk, cold walk down to the Thames and along the Embankment to find the location for the last shot of the day. Luckily the earlier rain had dried up and the skies were reasonably clear. Of course it took longer than I'd thought, was further than I'd hoped, and the light had pretty much disappeared altogether by the time I found the right section of wall. The coping stones on the wall were curved, presenting a challenge to balance the camera securely for a long exposure. I totally guessed how long to leave the shutter open, opting for a slow count of 10 with a wide open aperture. I really like the result; if only the moon had turned up as well!

Considering my Kodaks are about 100 years old, I think they performed incredibly well and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to recreate photographs from the past. Stay tuned for one mega overland trip with the 1916 Vest Pocket Kodak, following the route of the famous Orient Express all the way to Istanbul!