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Stories behind pictures

Every photograph has its story. Some stories are more interesting, some less, but every photograph has one. Here we will gather stories behind photographs that are somehow extraordinary. Stories, which often reveal the backstage, change the perspective and give the photographs a different meaning.

Momma 21.12.2010 More

My mom was never too fond of being photographed. She was always hiding and resolutely opposed this type of documentation. When I looked through my photos, I realized that she really isn’t in a single picture. She might have been caught walking by or appeared somewhere in the back of the photo, but you could never be certain it was actually her. It’s almost unbelievable that even though I photograph basically everything,… important or not, I don’t have my mother in any of the photos.

Triumphant returns 11.11.2010 More

Today, we’d like to introduce a photograph that has brought success to František Ortmann, winning 1st prize in the ‘People in the news’ category at this year’s Czech Press Photo competition. (WoL)

Zetor in motion 14.10.2010 More

The walking mask of the Zetor 25 is the best and most successful photograph I have ever created. I have been waiting for a similar image to come for years.

The Grin 16.09.2010 More

On both sides of the ‘Legions’ bridge are two towers, originally used for toll collection in the early existence of the bridge. I can’t recall how many times I have passed through here over the past three years and how many times I had a camera with me. I guess it was the right constellation of stars (I’ve heard that luck favors the prepared) and I suddenly noticed a ‘face’.

Photo of Mirecek 02.09.2010 More

Even though it was my grandfather who actually took this photograph, the story behind it touches me a great deal and a mere look at the retrieved glass negative film makes my knees shiver.

The bench 12.08.2010 More

	My life’s path has led me away from my original profession as a pastry cook in the Institute of Social Care in Brezany, where I fulfilled my mandatory civil service duties. This experience opened my eyes and I came back to work as a tutor even after my civil service had ended. At that time, there were 170 people living in this village chateau. The tutors made a continuous effort to sweeten
	their lives with all sorts of events and activities. This time, it was a bonfire. On that given day, I arrived for my afternoon shift and without any real reason, I took my DSLR out of the car with only a tele-lens designed for photographing portraits and details. A moment later, I realized that I would need my wide-angle lens as well, so I had to go back to the car to pick it up. On the way back to my car I passed the one hundred year old lime tree under which lay an ordinary bench; a bench where Bohuska used to sit regularly.

A sweater for all its worth 21.07.2010 More

I was interested in the history of photography as far as I can remember. I don’t mean history and evolvement of photography per se, also a subject worth exploring nonetheless, but the history of individual images, both the ones that have become a part of photographic history as well as the ones that haven’t. This consumed me right from the beginning at the time I entered this line of business. That is I really believe that literally, every photograph has its history, be it the famous image of Avedon or an ordinary snapshot made when celebrating grandpa’s 60th birthday.

The sewer drain 29.06.2010 More

Not far from my house, there is a larger street that plays a fundamental role in my daily commute. One day, while waiting for the traffic light to turn green, I was on my bike and suddenly realized that there was something different that day.

Children of Zvolen 03.06.2010 More

When my longtime friend and founder of WoL Adolf Zika addressed me with a question, whether I could pick a photograph from my archive and share it in form of the section ‘Stories behind pictures,’ I immediately thought of Romany kids from the city of Zvolen. This photograph evokes several ‘stories’ in me and I’d like to share them all.

Reflection 06.05.2010 More

Acquiring such a photograph took me quite a while. I intended to grasp the atmosphere of the Barcelona Grand Prix and I succeeded in the end.

23.02.2012	Yol: Zdenek Dvorak's second year of life in a row
05.01.2012	The number of photographs on WoL: 200 000!!
22.06.2011	Photographers
07.06.2011	Hotel Chelsea