Saturday 30 May 2009

Snapshots - 5


In New Zealand, beaches, rivers and lakes have always been favourite places for our personal photography. The reason is simple - we want to relax at these places and spend time with our family and friends. Sport and exercise are central activities there. In the late 1930s and early 1950s there was a fashion for physical calisthenics. During the war years, and soon afterwards, such beach athletics were uncommon.

The three brothers here are performing the 'pyramid' exercise which could sometimes be three-persons high. Such beach gymnastics are never seen today.

On Sunday 7 June at 1pm I will talk about Snapshots - The Vernacular in New Zealand Photography in the Gallery's Art Lounge.

1 comment:

Brett Payne said...

A long gone era, yes, but funnily enough on our annual camping holiday to an East Coast beach last summer, we witnessed an extended family group forming just such a "human pyramid." A lot of bossing around, huffing and puffing and laughter was involved, but they did get to a fourth tier ... well, sort of. Perhaps the older generation of the group, who were clearly the instigators, had enjoyed such athletic activities themselves when growing up in the 1950s/1960s.

Regards, Brett
Photo-Aleuth