Cathy, David, Mark, ~1957

Sometimes we would take a long time to take all the pictures on a roll, and even longer to take the film to be developed. Months might go by before a roll was taken to the drugstore to be developed. I recall that it could take weeks to get the film back. Many months (or even longer) might pass before you would see the photographs you had taken. If any pictures did not turn out, they were lost forever. (And we were not frivolous people who took many pictures of the same scene.)

The envelope of photographs that you picked up at the drugstore was like a treasure chest of jewels and gold that had been buried in the past. The excitement and anticipation... what was on this roll? I don't remember. Did they turn out okay?

When Mark got his Polaroid camera, it truly was amazing. See a picture the same day?? In minutes even? That was voodoo. (You can see one of Mark's Polaroid miracles here.)

Now, of course, you can see a picture instantly with a digital camera. Take five or ten and keep the best one. Crop. Edit. No waiting. Prints in an hour.

Clearly, this picture of Cathy, David and Mark was taken on the same occasion as this one here.