2024-04-14 03:21:24
Byun Young-wook’s 100-year photo no. 56
We live in an era where anyone can take great pictures of their family and scenery with a smartphone camera. In today’s world where photos abound, we take a look at black and white photos that were published in newspapers 100 years ago. It is also a journey to find the original form of our images through readers’ comments.
▶The photo chosen by Baeknyeon Photo this week is not from the Dong-A Ilbo, but from the Maeil Shinbo. Among the photos published in the Dong-A Ilbo one-week newspaper (April 7-13, 1924), there were none that stood out or were worthy of introduction. Rather, I chose a photo from the Maeil Shinbo that could be compared to the current situation.
This is page 3 of the Maeil Shinbo dated April 7, 1924. Under the large photo, there is a caption that reads, “Sakura trying to open her eyes.” Now, for example, under the photo, ‘Citizens are enjoying the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Yunjung-ro, Yeouido on the afternoon of the 5th. Some trees are already in bloom, so the peak season is expected to end after the weekend. Reporter Byun Young-wook [email protected]’ I would have written an explanation like this, but in the past, I didn’t add a separate explanation. It would have been cumbersome to have to find and print each type, and since there were only four pages, it would have been reasonable to keep the photo captions concise.
▶Peach blossom → Plum blossom → Cornus officinalis → Magnolia → Forsythia → Cherry blossom → Azalea → Azaleas
I first started working as a daily newspaper photojournalist in November 1996. As I looked at the photos of spring flowers taken by senior photographers, I wondered how they accurately identified where the flowers were blooming and took photos of them. Even though there was no Internet, it was amazing to capture each type of first flower and publish it in a newspaper. Even if it is the same magnolia tree, the tree that blooms first in Seoul becomes the star of news photos. The magnolias on the sidewalks of Jongno-gu Office and on the campus of Shinkwang Girls’ High School in Yongsan-gu were the first to bloom in Seoul and were a regular feature in newspaper photos.
And the photos were published in the newspaper in the above order. So, in the spring, I went on a business trip from Gangwon-do to the Plum Village in Gurye, Jeollanam-do to take pictures of the bokbok weeds coming up through the snow. The color pages of the newspaper featured yellow flowers today, white flowers tomorrow, and pink flowers a few days later. Like an annual event every year.
▶But if I remember correctly, something strange has been happening since around 2010. The order in which spring flowers bloom is starting to become ambiguous. Regardless of the weather forecast by the Korea Meteorological Administration, flowers bloomed here and there or did not bloom at all. Finally, a photo of forsythia, azalea, and magnolia blooming at the same time was taken by a news agency reporter on the campus of Dongguk University. In the past, it was unthinkable to see a variety of flowers blooming in clusters, rather than just one or two flowers, being captured in one camera angle. This year, downtown Seoul is more colorful and so serious. Forsythia, magnolia, azalea, and even plum blossoms were all in full bloom in Seoul at the same time. It is said that the Ipop tree, which was thought to bloom in early summer, was also seen in Seoul in early April.
▶Global warming is pointed out as the cause of the collapse of the mystery of the season when single-colored flowers bloomed in succession. Warming temperatures make seasonal changes irregular, making it difficult for the Meteorological Administration to predict when flowers will bloom. It also has a negative impact on the ecosystem. Flowers that should bloom at different times bloom at the same time, causing confusion in the activities of bees who transport pollen. Additionally, flowers are unexpectedly blooming at the same time, negatively impacting local festivals and tourism. At this time of year, local governments’ festivals that were prepared in anticipation of flowering often miss the climax as the flowers bloom earlier or later than expected. Sokcho City, Gangwon-do announced through an emergency notice on March 27, three days before the opening of the ‘2024 Yeongnang Lake Cherry Blossom Festival’, that it would hold this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival in two parts. Sokcho City, which was worried about the weather’s vagaries, posted on social media, “I committed a deadly sin. Sokcho City Hall officials even posted a bow of apology on social media along with the city mascot, saying, “We cannot defeat the sky.” Sokcho City announced that it would hold the festival twice, the first on March 30-31 and the second on April 6-7. Photos of spring flowers blooming all at once like this clearly show a change from the past. Behind the splendor, there are hidden environmental challenges that we must face.
▶This week, we looked at the changing times of flower photography through a photo of cherry blossom buds that was published in a newspaper dated April 7, 100 years ago. What flowers did you see around you last week? I want to feel your gaze in the comments.
Reporter Byun Young-wook [email protected]
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2024-04-14 03:21:24