19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, June 15, 1914: My photo supplies came this morning. Hope to make some presentable pictures now. Am very tired for I was working for wages today.
Photo source: An advertisement for the Kodak Film Tank that appeared in the August 1913 issue of Farm Journal. You can see the entire advertisement in this previous post:
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma—
It’s awesome that your photo supplies arrived. You’ve mentioned taking and developing pictures several times over the past year or so. What a fun and rewarding hobby!
____
Apparently strawberries were in season. Throughout the diary she got paid for picking a neighbor’s strawberries each June. For example, in 1911 she wrote:
Started to pick strawberries this morning. Of course it will mean some early rising and loss of sleep, but just look at what I can earn.
A Hundred Years Ago 
Imagine the difference of us taking digital photos now and what Grandma would have to have done to develop her photos.
It’s absolutely amazing how much photography has changed across the years. When I was young I can remember thinking twice before taking a picture because film and film developing were expensive. I can remember several times when I was a teen when I took a roll of pictures–and then later didn’t think that they were good enough to justify the cost of developing it, so I threw the film out.
I don’t think I ever threw a film out but remember being so disappointed to have paid good money for the developing and then the photos turned out poorly.
Wow. I say that with respect! I developed film in film tanks in art school in the 70’s. Imagining past technologies isn’t hard for me. Using new technologies isn’t either. I appreciate both. I guess that’s why I enjoy the format of your blog so very much… 100 years ago and your views today. Such a wonderful tribute to your grandmother, yes… but also, your viewpoint and updates are so great!
I’ve never developed any film so I find it difficult to picture exactly what it entails, but seems like it would be complicated (but rewarding when the photos turns out well.) Thanks for the nice note. It’s always wonderful to hear when someone enjoys this blog.
I really think it’s neat that Helena had such an unusual hobby. Do you have any of the photos she made?
I only know of one–and I’m saving that to illustrate a future diary entry that it illustrates really well. Stay tuned. 🙂
I will!
WOW, this is brilliant. Brings me back to my ancestors!
Times have changed. 🙂
Just the other day, as I was snapping away with my camera, I thought of how far photography has come just in my lifetime!
I agree! It’s almost unimaginable how much photography technology has during our lifetimes.
What a great thing to do with her money!!!
I agree!
Yay the photo supplies arrived! I wish we could see some of the photos that Helena took, that would be awesome.
Diana xo
Sometimes I’m surprised by the things that have survived a hundred years–other times I feel a little sad about the things that have been lost.
How exciting to be receiving all that photography stuff. It had to be a real challenge in those days, but probably fun for your grandma. And working for “wages” would help to defray the costs. Would love to see some of the photos she took.
My hunch is that she enjoyed the intellectual and artistic challenges of developing her own pictures.
Wouldn’t Grandma be surprised now with all the advancements in photo taking and supplies! Soooo much easier.
She’d be amazed how easy and inexpensive it is to take lots and lots of pictures today. 🙂
According to the Kodak web site, mail in processing was available years before this Film Tank.
1888 – The name “Kodak” was born and the KODAK camera was placed on the market, with the slogan, “You press the button – we do the rest.” This was the birth of snapshot photography, as millions of amateur picture-takers know it today.
Interesting. . . I know that I did see some small classified ads in the 1914 issues Farm Journal magazine for film developing. I wonder why magazines were running big ads for the film tanks–if there were easier ways to get film developed. I wonder if quality was an issue with the mail order developers.
Lots of people like to do it themselves.
It’s amazing how different modern photography is just from when I was young. I had 110 camera growing up and a polaroid instant camera. Photography a 100 yrs ago! What an interesting hobby.
Until you mentioned them, I’d totally forgotten about the 110 camera. I can remember when they were considered to be very modern with the film in an enclosed cartridge.
A lot of changes in photography since then. My mouth is watering after reading about strawberries. Hard on the back picking them but they sure are yummy. Hugs
There’s nothing like fresh-picked strawberries. 🙂
What a great feeling — earning wages!
You’re absolutely right. Getting paid is a great feeling. . . especially for young people who’ve had relatively few earning opportunities.
I’m glad that she continues with her photography.
So am I.
Would love to see some of the photos she took.
Stay tuned. . . I have only one, but I plan to use it to illustrate a post later in the summer.
Were any of her photographs archived? I love photography … the developing would intimidate me. Good for Grandma!
Only one that I know of. Stay tuned. 🙂
Funny how everything is so instant today – no waiting!
Sometimes I think that we have lost something important in today’s “instant” world.
Yes, that is so true. It can be hard to relax or to enjoy the small things since there is always the pressure to accomplish something.