by Editor Lourens Durand
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 10th of January 2024

'The Prayer' by Radu Dumitrescu

“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.”
~ Kevin Arnold ~

As we age, we may lose the ability to remember things, but those hidden memories are often subconsciously brought to the surface, triggered by familiar strains of music, smells, snatches of conversation, faces, places, or old photos.

These old photographs have the uncanny ability to stimulate long-forgotten memories – a single photograph can take one back in time, evoking moments of happiness, joy, love …. or nostalgia. It may take us back to a simpler time, when life seemed easier, and worries were few. It’s like stepping into a time machine that transports us to our childhood homes, our favourite holiday destinations, times of celebration, excitement, or stolen moments with loved ones who are no longer with us. It fills our hearts with bittersweet emotions, a mix of joy, melancholy and beauty, a reminder of the fleeting nature of life.

We may come across photos of some of the everyday things from those days – things we no longer see, and which may trigger further memories. Things like:

Cobblers
Milliners
Steam trains
Trams
Telephone booths with phones that still work and thick directories
Telegrams
Home pickup and delivery of dry cleaning
Doctors’ call-outs in the middle of the night
Coca Cola glass bottles and their wooden crates
Window trays at drive in cinemas
Late night milkshakes at roadhouses
The yo-yo craze
Dinky Toys
Model aeroplanes
Outhouses
33⅓ 45 and 78RPM records

This is what makes family albums and old newspapers and magazines so valuable in rekindling memories.

In today’s world of smartphones and incessant photo taking, however, snapshots are two a penny and there is a danger that photographers and viewers may become blasé, bored or disinterested in looking at “just another photo” or money spinner.

It is our responsibility as serious photographers, therefore, to use all the technical, artistic and visual appreciation abilities that we have to make each photo that we take a work of art, to be appreciated by viewers now and in the future to bring back hidden memories in a subtle and gentle, yet meaningful manner.

Please enjoy the memories reflected in the following cross section of photographs taken by 1X photographers.

Lourens Durand

'Living Memories' by Nadav Dov Boretzki

'together' by Lynne Williams

'white age. memories' by Nicoleta Gabor

'Memory' by Hussam Sleiby

'Memories' by Ömer Ates Kiziltug

'memories of the past' by Anna Miziolek

'Benz' by Holger Droste

'Little-Jumbo' by Harri Aho

'The Goodbye Kiss' by Daniel Springgay

'Foggy morning' by Tiger Seo

'red forest' by Holger Droste

n/t by Svetlana Bekyarova

'Cheeeeeers!' by Jan Geerk

'Memorable Moments' by Alp Cem

'A little miracle' by Sebastien DEL GROSSO

'go to sleep little baby' by Ambra

'Shower time' by Nicole Goggins

'Shoemakers' by Evgeny Loza

'Beached Bus' by Yvette Depaepe

'Lisbon tram 575' by Saša Pezelj

'My VW bus' by Kirk Cypel

'Memory of a childhood' by Monika Vanhercke

'Still life with a wooden horse' by Mykhailo Sherman

'Cobbler' by Mehmet AKIN