Throwback Thursday: Back to the 1930s

by Skip Cohen

It's my favorite day of the week, Throwback Thursday, and every time I think I've run out of images to share, I find a few new ones. But the fun of #TBT is always in the hunt, and in turn, being reminded of the value of photography. 

The three images above were captured approximately 100 years ago. Those are my grandparents above, with my mother around two years old. They captured a lot of images like this, always with a car in the shot. Even in the shot of my grandfather by himself, the automotive theme is going strong - that's a gas pump he's leaning on.

But besides the fun of sharing old photographs, there's a bigger, more important point I want to make. I never sat down with my folks or grandparents while they were still alive to talk about the backstories with each photograph. Today, I have hundreds of images and no idea where they were taken or, for that matter, who's in each picture!

Building a Legacy Program: There's an old expression that goes, "Shoemaker's children need shoes!" As photographers, don't be a shoemaker.

As we approach the holiday season and family gatherings, take the time to gather those backstories from the senior members of your family. And if you don't have the time, then it's a perfect project for your kids! Whether it's simply taking notes on old images or video, capturing the stories, all of you have the ability to record your family's history!

Happy Throwback Thursday!