More Than a Snapshot by Annebella Pollen, Professor of Visual and Material Culture at Brighton University explores the world of photo wallets, the envelopes used by film processors. Like so much ephemera they are easily discarded, yet they are reflections of a social phenomenon, the democratisation of photography, and embody design and social history. Their demise has accompanied the growth in digital technology and the near death of the traditional photo album.
Reading about the book sent me rummaging through boxes of old photographs for examples. I found 50 different designs from 1971 to 2023, 19 of them decorated with the usual sunny, cheery subjects of photography, the remainder a variety of graphic designs. Sadly most are defaced with my file references, but at least they are dated.
I’m so pleased to see that the subject stimulated your memories and reflections. I enjoyed seeing your collection too! (Annebella Pollen, author of More than a Snapshot: A Visual History of Photo Wallets)
Many thanks for your kind comments. Finding the wallets after I read the article in the Observer made me glad I had not been too thorough in a recent photographic clear out.
Best wishes, Brian