South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

Num7

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South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

I've been talking about this picture for a couple of days with friends of mine, I figured I'd just post it to know what you guys think. This picture was taken in 1940 in Canada. It features, so to speak, what some people think to be a time traveler. I've heard a few opinions about it, one of them made more sense than others. First, let's see that pic:

8b3bb9091347.jpg

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=record_detail&fl=0&lg=English&ex=234&rd=124541&hs=0

Alright. You may have noticed that guy with welding goggles and a t-shirt with a logo. Most people are wearing more expensive looking clothes than he does, and he's not wearing a hat, which might explain at some point why he seems a bit "out of place". Before someone says that t-shirts didn't exist back then, I'd probably say that the guy was part of a sport team or some group, it would explain the M logo on the t-shirt. Yeah, t-shirt already exist back then. Some people are arguing about the camera he's holding as well, but it's pretty hard to see on the picture, unless you're a camera expert from these years.

Some say the guy is a Government shill who went back in time to gather information, other people say it's a photoshop job. I'd say he just looks out of place, but I don't think he's a time traveler.

What's your bet ?
 
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Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

I think if someone is smart enough to travel back they would be smart enough to wear clothing close to the time as possible; no matter the method they use to travel. He could have been some news guy who wore a sports shirt of the time to the event. If its a shop then it looks like a pretty good damn shop :)
 

DoctorZ

THinkharder is my alternate internet name
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Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

its shopped
 

Keroscene

Active Member
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Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

Looks genuine to me. Ir reminds me of the character from the movie Young Einstein, he dresses in a similar way. Only if everyone who looked out of place were a time traveler.
 

ZeoEmeraude

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Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

It's hard to tell with this picture. His clothing does look out of place....but it could be period era. I can't say that that type of printed t shirt existed in those days. As for the device in his hands...it could be an old Kodak...but the lens looks too large...almost like an interchangeable model...and those were not around back then. The same could be said for the hoodie. As for the shades...welding goggles made during the 40's had round lenses...not square. I'm on the fence with this one folks.....then again, if you look at the old woman in front of him, he's not casting any shadows onto her. With his height, her whole head should be shaded from the sunlight.
 

DoctorZ

THinkharder is my alternate internet name
Messages
783
Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

this guys is part of this forum try to find out who he is
 

TimeWizardCosmo

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Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

As noted, the image is indeed available through the official website for Canada’s museums. It was part of the exhibit “Their Past Lives Here” from Bralorne-Pioneer, available to the public since 2004. It was put online since February this year, perhaps before that. And the peculiar “time traveller” image was only noted as such in the end of March, when it was linked on main websites such as Above Top Secret and FARK.

Given the source, we would assume the photo is authentic, and correctly dated to c.1940. Indeed, an Error Level Analysis suggests the image was not digitally tampered with, or at least that if it was, the author was smart enough to normalize the error across the whole thing. It’s a good job, if it was a job. And again, given the source, we would assume it was not a job.

So, how do we explain the man out of time?
viajantes.jpg


As members of the ATS, like “Outkast Searcher”, diligently noted, despite looking very modern the man’s outfit and even glasses and camera could be found in the 1940s. Below, similar sunglasses used by actress Barbara Stanwyck on the movie “Double Indemnity” (1944):



The outfit could also be found 70 years ago. Being used as we are to our contemporary fashion, we look at the man and assume he’s wearing a stamped T-shirt, something that would be indeed out of place (or time). But if you look carefully, you can see that he’s actually wearing (or could as well be wearing) a sweatshirt. And sweatshirts with bordered emblems were not uncommon in the 1940s – in fact you can find those in other photos from the same exhibit.



The sweater he also uses seems to be hand knitted, with buttons on the front. Something that was definitely available at the time, if he had some kind grandma perhaps.
Finally, despite some comments about the camera lens being too big for the time, too compact, it looks like a Kodak Folding Pocket model, available since the beginning of the 20th century.



That is: even taking this photo for granted, as depicting an authentic scene, a real man with his curious glasses and outfit in Canada 70 years ago, there’s nothing that can be seen that is actually out of place or time. He looks different from other people, but it has already been suggested that he’s using welding goggles and a glove.


(via http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean...Content+(Feed+-+Coast+to+Coast+-+All+Content))
 

Keroscene

Active Member
Messages
571
Re: South Fork Bridge photo Nov. 1940s

Great post Brent.

This picture also made the rounds on Reddit about a week or so after it was posted here, I thought that was rather odd.

The error level analysis tool is terribly inaccurate. It worked rather well in this particular example, but I've seen genuine images put through it showing alot of false positives. I wouldn't put to much faith in that tool, it's easily manipulated.
 

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