STUDIO PICTURES OF THE 50'S

Oops ... wrong picture!

This one of P.Ramlee, the film legend, taken from "P.RAMLEE, The Bright Star by James Harding & Ahmad Sarji".

What I want to say is that during the 1950's, it was the custom of our family (and I presume other families in Malaya as well) to have photos taken at the Professional Photo Studios for every occasion arisen. The annual Hari Raya (a must for our family), showing off one's new clothes, a friend that came a-visiting, someone's birthday were all events to be celebrated and recorded. The photos were all in black and white and if you happened to want one in colour, the photographer would painstakingly paint over the photo, line by line, area by area, inch by inch. How about that hah? Our favourite studio was the Eastern Photo Studio (now no more) situated right at one end of the Kampong Pantai bridge, very close to our shop-cum-home. Another popular photo studio especially for the MWTC teacher-trainees was the Koh May Keng Photo Studio somewhere in the mid of Jalan Bunga Raya. (Also gone with the wind!)

And before the photographer was to snap using his 'monstrous' contraption, he would arrange the pose - slight tilt of the head here, directing the eyes to look at such and such a direction, where to put your hand, etc. etc. etc. (Remember that, Alang? Hee... hee..) When he was totally satisfied, then he would ask you to hold your breath ... satu, dua ....SNAP! Before you received your copy, he would do some 'touch-ups' and viola ... there's your photo, you looking much much handsomer (as the case maybe) than your real self. But Emak was beautiful even without any touch-ups. Look at the photos below ...

Here's emak showing off the new kebaya she had just sewn. 1956

Emak and her friend-cum-embroidery student, Mak Kedom showing off the kebaya Mak Kedom had just accomplished. 1954

Emak and her best friend Makchik Minah from Alor Gajah. 1957
(P.S. Emak pregnant with baby Shaukani - she told me lah)

This one with Makcik Minah in colour. Don't they look pretty? 1956
Notice the colours.... painted over the black and white ... youuuuu

Another one of Emak's best friend, Mak Sayan from Banda Kaba. 1950

Four-year old Along (left) with her best friend, Rasiah, Mak Sayan's daughter. 1950

You notice or not ... they didn't smile in the photos! How come? Haven't heard of "cheeese"?Whatever it is, I still like black and white photos. What about you?