World War II (a particular fascination of mine) was, in brief a "photographer's war." Arguably, it produced the most iconic photos of any conflict -- so many amazing, astonishing, gut-wrenching, inspiring, horrifying, terrifying, and just plain memorable images that are permanently engraved on our collective unconscious.
Recently, someone got the bright idea of putting together a collection of photos of Normandy, France and its surrounds from the D-Day invasion and aftermath, then recreating the photos in modern times. In brief, to examine the photos, precisely locate the subject and the photographer's vantage point, and re-take the photo.
The results are, in a word, stunning.
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Comments (17)
Exactly. Very cool photos. ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Laura | September 10, 2009 10:21 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Exactly. Very cool photos. Thanks for the link, Jay Tea.
1. Posted by Laura | September 10, 2009 10:21 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 10:21
2. Posted by GarandFan | September 10, 2009 11:04 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Thanks Jay!
2. Posted by GarandFan | September 10, 2009 11:04 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 11:04
3. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 11:21 AM | Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Gorgeous photos. Man, what a socialist hell-hole! Cobblestone streets smell like high taxes. (Hyuk!)
You can still see Canadian flags all over the place in the Netherlands and western France, not just on American tourists' backpacks. Juno Beach was perhaps the toughest beachhead on D-Day, and the Canadians acclaimed themselves as well as at Vimy Ridge. Those who we liberated haven't forgotten.
3. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 11:21 AM |
Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 11:21
4. Posted by glenn | September 10, 2009 11:46 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Not only do the French that were there remember us, they aren't shy about expressing their gratitude. I can't count the number of hugs and kisses I've gotten from the people who live around the beacheads.
4. Posted by glenn | September 10, 2009 11:46 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 11:46
5. Posted by JustRuss | September 10, 2009 11:48 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Hyper...
what? Are you trying to make this a political thread? I think we all agree that the photos are amazing and show that life can recover after so much destruction.
What socialist hellhole are you looking at? And why the cracks about Canadian Flags? Just because they have socialized health care doesn't mean they are socialist hell holes. The problem in the US is that Healthcare isn't the only thing on the agenda.
5. Posted by JustRuss | September 10, 2009 11:48 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 11:48
6. Posted by Shawn | September 10, 2009 12:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Nice find, Jay Tea.
Past destruction aside, looks like the buildings have all been kept faithful to their original forms.
Neat stuff.
-Shawn
6. Posted by Shawn | September 10, 2009 12:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 12:04
7. Posted by Wordygirl | September 10, 2009 12:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Fabulous photos. What determination to rebuild, instead of tearing down.
7. Posted by Wordygirl | September 10, 2009 12:21 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 12:21
8. Posted by Peter F. | September 10, 2009 12:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Simply incredible photos. Great find, Jay Tea.
8. Posted by Peter F. | September 10, 2009 12:54 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 12:54
9. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 10, 2009 12:55 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Absolutly positivly NO CHANGE IN THE LAND OF SCUM AND VILLIANY
9. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 10, 2009 12:55 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 12:55
10. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 1:05 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
I was just kidding, Russ, and poking fun at some conservatives' knee-jerk dislike of everything European.
Some of the buildings remind me of Quebec City, Old Montreal, or Charleston, SC. In other words, beautiful, especially compared to the architectural dreck that the 20th century gave us.
And can't a guy express some pride in his country and its military achievements? There's a reason a Canadian flag stitched to your knapsack will get you a better rate than advertised in most Dutch and Belgian hostels.
10. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 1:05 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 13:05
11. Posted by WildWillie | September 10, 2009 2:30 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Hyper, you don't know how to poke fun.
JT, very cool. Each one. ww
11. Posted by WildWillie | September 10, 2009 2:30 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 14:30
12. Posted by tyree | September 10, 2009 6:15 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
An amazing collection of great significance. Thanks Jay Tea.
God bless the liberators.
12. Posted by tyree | September 10, 2009 6:15 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 18:15
13. Posted by epador | September 10, 2009 7:32 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
How about some then and now pictures of the USA: say, the factories, steel mills, boatyards, and military bases that made D-Day possible?
13. Posted by epador | September 10, 2009 7:32 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 19:32
14. Posted by hyperbolist | September 11, 2009 12:01 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Do you really want to see before-and-after pics of the Rust Belt, epador? That's some depressing shit right there.
14. Posted by hyperbolist | September 11, 2009 12:01 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 11, 2009 00:01
15. Posted by epador | September 11, 2009 12:10 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Wow, I um think that WAS my point. Was it too obtuse for you?
15. Posted by epador | September 11, 2009 12:10 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 11, 2009 00:10
16. Posted by epador | September 11, 2009 12:11 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I guess you'll have trouble finding shots with Maple Leaf Flags flying from the crumbling ruins, however...
16. Posted by epador | September 11, 2009 12:11 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 11, 2009 00:11
17. Posted by hyperbolist | September 11, 2009 10:02 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Why someone would want to look at photographs documenting the decline of their own country, is beyond me.
Posterity?
17. Posted by hyperbolist | September 11, 2009 10:02 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 11, 2009 10:02