The archives of the planet !
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Posted by Eric Tenin
Yesterday, I went to the opening of the new website of the Albert Khan museum. Albert Khan (1860-1940) was a banker (I guess we could even call him a "trader"!), but also a philanthropist. Once he became rich, he decided to build the "archives of the planet". How? By photographing and filming everything he could (well, not him personally but with the help of photographers, like in this photo that I took in the museum) on the planet. Thanks to this crazy idea, the museum has now 72 000 shots (in fact autochromes) and hundreds of hours of movies. They started digitizing all this and bring it to the public on the new website. Truly amazing! (FYI: a pretty similar thing also existed in Great Britain (The Mitchell & Kenyon Collection).



March 10, 2010 12:11:00 AM GMT+01:00
If Albert lived now, he'd surely have the world's biggest blog. Wow, what an amazing project—lucky you to attend this opening (though it was probably for work).
March 10, 2010 12:12:00 AM GMT+01:00
Come to think of it, Eric, you probably have at least 72,000 photos on your computer! Well, almost, anyway.
March 10, 2010 12:24:00 AM GMT+01:00
I remember visiting his gardens with my school when I was young.
I wish I could see the 72,000 photos and the movies. Fascinating!
March 10, 2010 1:13:00 AM GMT+01:00
This is extraordinary. I've always been fascinated by old photographs, so I'm loving the website, thanks so much for sharing this!
http://maybrady.blogspot.com/
March 10, 2010 5:31:00 AM GMT+01:00
too funny Alexa, but very true.
& it does seem like a similar mindset us daily photo people have!
I love this photo Eric. It's especially nice when enlarged.
March 10, 2010 5:53:00 AM GMT+01:00
Eric, your words and pictures have become such a part of my daily internet world that I have too often forgotten to thank you. You are a graceful presence, so welcome amidst it all. Thank you! Greetings from San Francisco.
March 10, 2010 5:53:00 AM GMT+01:00
Eric, your words and pictures have become such a part of my daily internet world that I have too often forgotten to thank you. You are a graceful presence, so welcome amidst it all. Thank you! Greetings from San Francisco.
March 10, 2010 6:36:00 AM GMT+01:00
I had never heard of Albert Khan. What a bitter-sweet life he hand. Your photo looks like a "documentary" -- so serious. :)
Merci for all the great links!
March 10, 2010 6:57:00 AM GMT+01:00
BTW, Speaking of Bankers, the guest speaker at yesterday's 100th International Women's Day celebration lunch/meeting, "Women in Business Luncheon" sponsored by the San Francisco French-American Chamber of Commerce, was Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann, President of CitiBank. At the luncheon, Rebecca was vivacious and really interesting to listen to as she told the story of her career in the male-dominated profession of banking. http://www.faccsf.com/Events/WIBMarch10.htm
PS: The food was good too.
March 10, 2010 7:05:00 AM GMT+01:00
Oh I just noticed something -- I meant to say on my comment before the last one, "What a bitter-sweet life he had." Not "hand". arg!! (That's Viking talk I think.)
March 10, 2010 7:39:00 AM GMT+01:00
What a glorious shot. The gleam on the wood and the shine of the brass and glass contrast so fabulously with the background image. Beautiful photography for a fascinating photographer!
March 10, 2010 10:44:00 AM GMT+01:00
Wow did this shot ever glow in the tiny thumbshot print in my reader! What rich hues and amazing focus. It is very evocative and sparks huge interest in this project.
March 10, 2010 11:51:00 AM GMT+01:00
I ha dnever heard of him before today. Thanks for this info, Eric.
I will certainly go and visit his gardens, which looks very promising on the website!
March 10, 2010 12:00:00 PM GMT+01:00
Such a warm image, such a fascinating post. Can you imagine setting such a goal?
March 10, 2010 2:39:00 PM GMT+01:00
What a visionary! You have to love life to want to document it so extensively.
Yes, I mean that for you, too, Eric! Have a great day everybody!
March 10, 2010 3:04:00 PM GMT+01:00
What Jilly said. Beautiful photo. Speaking of beautiful photos, I found Izis' Paris des Reves on Ebay for five dollars! I'm surprised one of you other PDPers didn't outbid me.
March 10, 2010 4:59:00 PM GMT+01:00
How interesting! I'm sure that he would love the digital age and that the photo numbers would have increased exponentially.
I always have trouble remembering that back in the "old" days they actually had vibrant colors. Seeing everything in black and white brings out the details, but doesn't show us the color. Maybe that's why I love color so very much. :)
March 10, 2010 6:28:00 PM GMT+01:00
Is it me, or has your blog changed?
March 10, 2010 6:46:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow! This morning was the "usual" "vintage" PDP... And tonight everything is new...! What a surprise ;-)
You mentionned Albert Kahn's new website. But you kept the surprise for yours....
Tu es un cachottier :)
March 10, 2010 7:11:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow, Eric - I was here this morning - popped back and what do we have but a brand spanking new look to PDP! I love it. What a great idea to coincide this with your big day tomorrow!
I love what you have done, love the beautiful clean look of the page, how wonderfully it shows up your superb images. Congratulations!
I'll be back tomorrow to wish you a happy happy...
March 10, 2010 7:57:00 PM GMT+01:00
Your new website is way cool! I just love your new look. You keep a good secret -- you didn't even breath a word about what you were up to. :) What a fun surprise!
March 10, 2010 8:28:00 PM GMT+01:00
I love the new decor, a fresh look for your 5th anniversary. I remember months ago you mentioning you were working on it. Tomorrow we will party with images on our blogs to celebrate this fantastic blog and the community of photobloggers and commentors you've drawn together. Woo hoo!
It is cool that the Khan museum has launched a website, and now that you've shown it to us, we can enjoy the collections! Thanks.
-Kim
March 10, 2010 8:40:00 PM GMT+01:00
Thanks a million for the info about the great content available at the Kahn website. Enough to send a Francophile into a frenzy of activity! Your blog's new look is great too -- and just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any better!
March 10, 2010 8:54:00 PM GMT+01:00
what the what? trying to get my head around your new blogspace...looks very different yet familiar...as long as the great pictures remain ..I'm there.
March 10, 2010 9:50:00 PM GMT+01:00
Yeah, Thib, me too: I looked last night quickly, and now today when PDP opened I got vertigo and almost fell out of my chair!
I am fascinated by old cameras, and photographs of old cameras make me chuckle. I took a nice one at a gallery a few months ago. It's like two opposing mirrors.
March 10, 2010 9:51:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow Eric!! You sure know how to surprise us. I've just been looking at the Paris flood clips. Really interesting. Amazing film quality for 1910. (I can't enlarge the Blogger comment box to a full screen like I used to, though.) Congratulations on your "new" blog!
And Mrs. Vandertramp - sounds like you scored! I got a copy from Amazon and paid more than you did, but I'm still happy! I also got a copy of the retrospective and I've been poring over the photos for the last two days. Fantastique!!
March 10, 2010 9:53:00 PM GMT+01:00
Jeff - and then we have the photograph of a photograph of an old camera!
March 10, 2010 10:27:00 PM GMT+01:00
Congratulations Eric for a wonderful milestone.
March 10, 2010 10:39:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow - like some others I've just popped back for another look at this great photo, and the whole look of your blog has changed! Love it! Happy Anniversary Eric. I don't post comments very often, but I do visit your space every day, for my daily fix of Paris. Thank you very much for providing this important part of my daily ritual. You make a difference to the lives of many people around the world - including here in Sydney.
March 10, 2010 11:02:00 PM GMT+01:00
Holy new design! I love that the photo of the old guy / camera is grainy looking....
Comments on the new look....Is it me, or does the date not appear above the actual photo of the day anymore? Sometimes I look late at nite and don't want to see tommorow's which is already posted due to the time difference....and I can no longer make the comment windo "Full Size"..
Sean
March 10, 2010 11:42:00 PM GMT+01:00
Happy anniversary, Eric. The new design was a bit of a surprise but I like it.
March 10, 2010 11:43:00 PM GMT+01:00
Actually the happy anniversary probably should go with your post tomorrow but its already tomorrow here.
March 10, 2010 11:58:00 PM GMT+01:00
Excellent Eric!! Quel changement!! Belle mise en valeur de tout ton travail. Surprise puis conquise car c'est très pro et dense. J'adore le slide show, les accès par thèmes aux archives. L'absence de dates est un peu dommage à mes yeux car j'aime bien les repères dans le temps mais bon... Bravo ! A se demander comment tu as pu tenir avec l'ancienne formule?! En tous cas, il y a de la matière depuis 5 ans. Brillant, créatif, structuré, et ... innovant :)
March 11, 2010 7:28:00 AM GMT+01:00
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March 11, 2010 2:20:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow! I'm impressed. I really enjoy looking at reflections... this makes me look closely.
March 11, 2010 10:51:00 PM GMT+01:00
Tried to leave a comment earlier, my thing wouldn't cope.
PDP is 5 today!!! Wow 5! Seems like yesterday when it all started
Congratulations Eric!!!!
It's'great to be part of this awesome family.
PDP has brought so much joy to my life it has certainly
made things more interesting!
Thank you for all.
The new blog looks sensational!! It owns up to PDP category ;)
xx
Michael - LOL
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