29 extraordinary photos that show how different life was in the past
The earliest surviving photo was taken in 1826 and since then mankind has visually recorded its history every step of the way. Sadly, not many of these early snaps have survived, but with improved restoration and conservation techniques we can now enjoy seeing how life was in times gone by. Whether it's an important historical event, a childhood memory or a simple snap, preserving photos is one of the best ways to keep our legacy alive and entertain future generations at the same time!
Here are 28 photos that capture a special moment or show how different life was in the past.
1. In the USSR in 1980, an artic explorer offers canned milk to a nursing polar bear, whilst a cub plays with his leg.
2. Here's a 1947 nanny in Zanzibar, posing next to a baby she cared for: Farrokh Bulsara. Several years' later this man changed his name to...Freddie Mercury!
3. Here's Sioux warrior sitting on his loyal steed. This photo was taken in 1908 and colored by Dana Keller.
4. A 1987 scene from Alba Lulia in Romania - the mind-blowing moment when a 7,600 ton multi-storey building was moved in order to create a boulevard.
5. A rare 1923 photo of Claude Monet posing next to his paintings (colored by Dana Keller).
6. An early Beatles gig in 1961, before they hit the big time a year or so later!
7. Marilyn Monroe poses for American soldiers in 1954 (colored by Dana Keller)
8. A 1922 photo of the seal on Tutankhamen's tomb - still intact after 3,245 years!
9. A photo showing Allied soldiers preparing 'Easter eggs' for Hitler - color was later added to this amazing shot.
10. Disneyland employees taking a lunch break in 1961!
11. Hollywood sirens Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield in 1957.
12. A young boy sells newspapers just after the Titanic sank in 1912. Color was later added.
13. The world's first 5MB hard drive being loaded onto a Pan Am plane in 1965.
14. Madison Square at the beginning of the 20th Century (colored by Sanna Dullaway)
15. The Hindenburg going up in flames in 1937 (color was later added)
16. First ever camera dating back to 1900!
17. Two young women at work - delivering blocks of ice in 1918 (colored by Dana Keller)
18. A Singapore opium den in 1941.
19. A car wreck in Washington in 1921 (color was later added).
20. A 1942 flight simulator - one of the first of its kind!
21. Newspaper sellers having a smoke in 1910. Color was added at a later date.
22. In 1923, Fiat workers held a race on a factory roof in Turin, Italy.
23. A beggar pleads for money from King George V in 1920.
24. A gas station in Washington DC in 1924 (color was later added).
25. Rooftop women's boxing match in 1930.
26. Testing a bullet-proof vest in 1923! (Color added later).
27. A mobile swimming pool in New York in 1960.
28. A rare photo of Steven Spielberg whilst shooting Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1980.
29. Portrait of a woman in 1900 that was later colored.
© Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection
By Straker Julia
Writer
Passionate about writing, I write articles on the subjects that I love. Creativity and Animals themes are my favorites!
