A portrait he can’t refuse
By: usermattw
Tags: photography, Pottsville, vintage photography
What it is:
Photo (approx. 3.75 x 5.25 inches) mounted on a cardboard frame/backing (approx. 6 x 9 inches, most of which I’ve cropped from this scan).
What I know about it:
Photographer is Garvin of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Otherwise undated and unidentified.
Comments:
I’m sure this is intended to be what is known as an “affectionate pose”, but I have to say it looks more like two goons hired to make sure some poor sap gets his picture taken.
Pics of Then 
Do you think dad is on camera right and his sons are seated and left? Oldest son seated or is the restrained man the youngest?
Hmm, that’s interesting, I hadn’t really thought of them as close family members, though I could be wrong. I wasn’t seeing any family resemblance, though there isn’t always any, and I assumed they were all around the same age, though I can be awful at guessing ages. I just assumed they were close friends or associates of some sort getting their picture taken together. Hard to say, but that can be part of the fun. 🙂
The man-child camera left and the seated guy look similar to me. The man camera right seems older to me. But probably not 20 years older.
‘Ok Tommy its like this….you gonna have your picture taken and you gonna smile, or we gonna pop ya a good one. Now you just shut up and make like we tell ya’
Heheh, yep, that’s pretty much the caption I was imagining.
Its a funny photo in that light.
Hilarious!
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Matt
Have you seen this new blog? http://lovalon.wordpress.com/
No, I hadn’t. Thanks for pointing it out, it looks like fun.
This does look sort of suspicious. Before I even read your caption, I thought that fellow in the chair seems awfully trapped. The more I look at this, the more I can picture the two standing men carrying pistols and threatening. It’s funny, because I’m sure, as you said, this is supposed to be an affectionate pose. The composition is a little intimidating though.
On another thought, I noticed that the left man’s coat seems a little big on him, almost as if he borrowed it from his dad or something. Even his trousers look a bit long. Not quite so tidy and buttoned and tailored as most clothes in the portraits I’ve seen on your blog.
Great photo, and great post! 🙂
Yes, I was thinking some of the clothing seems a little ill-fitting, particularly on the guy on the left. But then his body seems unusually shaped, too, so he may have problems finding clothing that fits.