Another work in progress

Taken in Detroit, circa 1910.

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know how much I enjoy working on these massive photographs. There's something magical about seeing people born more than a century ago just chilling and enjoying their daily lives, engaged in mundane activities, without probably even realizing that the second the photographer pressed the shutter would capture that seamless irrelevant moment and make it 'eternal' for future generations to see.

I've worked on so many of these photos (some of which you can see in my books), and it never gets less exciting. I can actually feel my heart racing every time I start a new one.

Beach shots, such as the one I'm working on today (taken circa 1910), are particularly great. The detail on these scans provided by the Library of Congress are amazing. There's a lot to see! This young man, for example… what could he possibly be thinking about?