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In the Moment: Capturing Daily Life in Photos

In the Moment: Capturing Daily Life in Photos

By Megan Lockhart, Archives Technician

“Everyone line up, stand up straight…okay big smiles now. One, two, three, cheese!” Does this sound familiar? Most of us are used to standing perfectly still with a big smile on our faces for photos. Nowadays, photos are even more staged for posting on social media. The perfect angle, the perfect lighting, the perfect backdrop. Sometimes photos are even staged to look candid when they really aren’t. This need to capture idealism in our photos is somewhat similar to the studio portraits from the earlier days of photography. Scenic backdrops, perfect posture, immaculate outfits, flattering angles, and carefully chosen props; studio portraits from the late 1800s and early 1900s were usually designed to portray an ideal image of a person or group of people. Perhaps the subject wanted to emit a masculine vibe or have the appearance of an intellectual, or maybe look wealthier than they actually were. While these photos are fascinating to look at, they don’t quite capture the true essence of daily life.

At the archives, we’re fortunate to have a variety of photographs in our collection that capture more “candid” or unplanned moments. These photos provide us with a peek into the more natural moments of daily life and human interactions. These images contain important social history information and capture the goings-on within the lives of Oxford County residents in different time periods throughout history. They are also just fun to look at!

Check out some of our “in the moment” photos below from our archival holdings. For more photos like these, check out our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/oxfordcountyarchives/?hl=en.

Dr. Pike and Thomas Patteson cutting a tree on the Patteson property in Eastwood. One of the men is standing on top of the cut tree with an axe. The ground is covered in snow.

Dr. Pike and Thomas Charles Patteson cutting a tree, Eastwood, 25 December 1892 (1091ph. COA126 1.22)

Two men use a plow to clear deep snow from a road.

Norwich Townline Road snow clearing (43ph)

A man paints a boy's face with a group of other boys surrounding them and watching.

Ron Ludwig getting his face painted at the YMCA's Glen Fisher's Camp (COA123 1-102)

A group of students running out of a school building.

Students streaming out of school - possibly former Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute building (COA123 1-264)

A woman lawn bowling with a smile on her face. A woman is standing off to the side watching her along with two boys in the background.

Woman lawn bowling. (COA123 1-328)

Two women looking at an exhibit prepared by the Ontario Hospital. (COA123 2-127)

A young man sits on farm equipment in a field while older men around him watch.

Coaching Day at Ed Eddy's Farm - October 1959. (COA154)

Two men in uniform stand in front of and point at a vehicle traffic control board at the Woodstock Advanced Driving and Maintenance School.

Examining the vehicle traffic control board at the Woodstock Advanced Driving and Maintenance School - circa 1940 - 1943. (COA93)

People gather in a large group beside a train, waiting to board.

Port Dover excursion train at Norwich Junction, 1917.