Story Behind The Picture

Have you ever looked at an old photograph and wondered about the lives and personalities of the people depicted in them?

For this activity you will need one or more old photographs. It should preferably be from at least 100 years ago.

• Some possible sources to find a suitable photograph:
• Old family photos
• Historical books
• Websites
• Museums- although you can't actually take these photos with you
  

Once you have chosen your photograph(s) do some research about the time and location in which the person lived.

• What "class" would your person have belonged to?
  Working class? Middle class? Upper class?
  Did they have servants... or were they servants?
  What sort of people might they have socialised with?

• What were their possible living conditions like?
  Luxury... or poverty?
  Might they have lived in a mansion... or a hut?
  Did they have adequate nutrition and medical care?
  
  
• What kind of job might they have had?
  Did they need to work or were they independantly wealthy?
  Did they fill their time with charitable works?
  Did they do hard labour? Intricate work? Dangerous work? Work in isolated conditions?

• What pastimes might they have had?
  Simple entertainments?
  Expensive upper class pursuits?
  Too tired or no time for much?
  

Once you have an idea of the world which shaped your person, have a think about the person's possible personality traits. You will need to make some assumptions, based on what you have learned.

• Were they reserved or outgoing?
• Polite or outspoken?
• Idealistic? Practical?
• Optomistic? Pessimistic?
  

Now it's time to write a short narrative from this person's perspective.

• What are they thinking while the photo is being taken?
• Did they want to have their photograph taken?
• How did the photo opportuniy eventuate?
• Does it commemorate a great achievement... or is it a family portrait?
• What are their plans after the photo has been taken?

Add anything else you can think of that might give an insight into the person behind the picture.  Remember, photographs were rare, and usually of great importance, in times gone by.

Present your photograph and narrative in whatever way you like eg a poster, scrapbook style (you could decorate with suitable old style things to suit your photo and person) or a computer presentation.