In pictures: Never before seen photographs from World War One frontline - Telegraph

Cool pictures. I'm reading Piketty's Capital and it details the destruction of European capital during the war.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

In my head, I kept thinking that Kubrick had these as the storyboard for "Paths of Glory."

I have been doing research for the past several years on WW1 for a planned film using that setting. I have looked at a lot of photos from that era to pick up on tiny details to forward to the set guys.

Except for the uniforms and the copious use of barbed wire I have found it is sometimes hard to tell WW1 photos from Civil War photos since so many Civil War photos have been enhanced through digital means for clarity. A lot of photos from WW1 have a higher quality look about them due to a lot of reasons, one of which is most were set-up right and not 'action' shots.

During the CW the troops did not have the time to stand around wait for a photo to be set-up or lit; by 1915 lighting was better and so were the developing processes and the troops had the time to sit still and let the photo guys do their work.

By the way, all films shot today that concern the military have small mistakes in the uniforms of the players so historians 1,000 years from now will not think they have stumbled upon some long forgotten historical footage. The day will come when footage from actual wars will look like a commercial film production so no one wants to film anything that will someday be mistaken for actual history.

Advances in optics, film plate and emulsion sensitivity have always aided the combat photographers. The cameras got smaller and lighter, the film cartridges more compact and durable.

I have a "movie" camera identical to one used by CNN to capture the action during the war in Iraq. Little thing just fits in the palm of my hand and would easily be concealable in a coat pocket yet takes great stuff. 8mm format tape. (think DAT like used for computer backups).
Now I have an old busted digital one on my desk smaller than a pack of smokes.

A lot of commercial films today are shot on digital and then cleaned up before a print is struck if a print is struck at all.

Back then it just took lots and lots of skill and a reallllllllllly good lens.