Sepia Saturday 145 : 29 September 2012

You may recall that last week on Sepia Saturday 144 we were concentrating on heads or rather the absence of them. This week we are concentrating on feet - or rather the absence of them. This photograph from the Dutch National Archives - and made available via Flickr Commons - is entitled Boys With Football Boots and shows a group of young lads proudly carrying their football boots. For those in search of a theme, you can take your pick from shoes, boots, feet, football or a large glass of milk and a cow (someone out there will understand this reference). If you want, you can kick any thought of a theme off the field of play and go with whatever old photograph you like. It's Sepia Saturday and there is no off-side rule. Just post your post on or around Saturday 29th September 2012 and then provide a link to the list below.

As usual I am giving you a sneak preview to the next two Sepia Saturday archive images.

Sepia Saturday old-timers will recognise that a picture of a boat setting sail normally means that our regular curator is about to depart on one of his extended holidays. Next week will be my last Sepia Saturday for a few weeks as I prepare to sail away from the cold British winter to the Sunny Caribbean. However, I am delighted to announce that Sepia Saturday co-founder Kat Mortensen has agreed to look after things during my absence. As SS147 will be her first week in charge, she has chosen the archive prompt for that week, and the other weeks she will be looking after things. I will still be here next week, so there is no need to say goodbye just yet. As they say, the game isn't over until the final whistle blows.

Sepia Saturday 144 : 22 September 2012

My archive prompt this week is a little different, notable not for what is there, but for what isn't. In this case, a head. The photograph comes from the Library of Congress collection on Flickr Commons and shows a 12 year old boy working as a theatre usher in Birmingham Alabama. But it is the man on the right of the photograph I want to focus on, and in particular, his missing head. Now we all have old photographs like this in our collection : missing heads, missing feet, missing arms - perfect examples of the photographer as a decapitator. You might, of course, have boxes full of perfect old photos - not a missing limb in sight - in which case feel free to follow whichever prompt you like (convicts, boys, striped pyjamas) or no prompt at all. Just post your old image along with your new thoughts on or around Saturday 22 September and link it to the list below.

Here is a quick preview of the next two Sepia Saturday prompts for those who like to plan ahead.

But let us not get ahead of ourselves, for the moment let us concentrate on the missing head. Post your posts and don't forget to head off to look at all the other contributors to Sepia Saturday 144.

Sepia Saturday 143 : 15 September 2012

I need to be careful! It appears that I have been causing chaos by picking out all sorts of random themes in my archive pictures (see Peters' excellent post last week). Well, the last thing I want to do is to confuse people. And therefore all I will say about my archive picture this week is that you might possibly want to follow, plates, beans, tomato soup, eggs, coffee, biscuits, baking powder, salt, pepper, breakfast cereals, tinned fish, spam, or jars of jam as your theme this week. In fact you can take your pick from the shelves of the grocery section, of Bell and Macaulay's Store, Drouin, Victoria, Australia. The picture comes from the digital collection of the National Archives of Australia, made available via the excellent Flickr Commons initiative. Whatever you buy, check it out by posting your post on or around Saturday 15 September 2012 and linking it to the list below. 

For those who like to shop in advance, here is a look at the next two Sepia Saturday archive pictures.

Well, I hope I haven't confused you too much. Now, what on earth was it that I needed - ah yes, a large box of those chocolate biscuits please.

Sepia Saturday 142 : 8 September 2012

I know we have had hats before, but who says it is hats again? It might be pictures of three people, people dressed in their Sunday best, or trees growing out of heads. This 1901 picture comes from the Flickr Commons collection of the National Library of Ireland and shows Mr Thomas Murphy and his sisters of County Tipperary. It would appear that Mr Murphy was a brewery (so there is another potential theme for you) and it is likely that one of the sisters was Amy Isabel who was killed when the RMS Leinster was torpedoed in 1918 (at least another couple of dozen potential themes for you). Whatever theme you choose to highlight for Sepia Saturday 142, just post your post on or around Saturday the 8th September 2012 and link it to the list below.

Here is the usual preview of the next two Sepia Saturday archive pictures in order to get your creative juices brewing.

Whatever theme you go with or whatever theme you ignore, just hang your hat at the sign of Sepia Saturday 142 and you are right at home.