Dell Now & Them

I love looking back at old black and white photos and all the nostalgia that goes with them. I come from a family who have always taken photos, capturing family moments that I still have memories of.

I can vividly remember as a little girl going to my grandparents at a weekend and cozying up in their front room for the evening whilst my grandad proudly got out his projector screen and Cine camera. The lights would all go out and we’d relive funny family moments that grandad had caught; whether they were family holidays and days out, celebrations or just my grandad sneakily snapping. I can still remember the distinct noise the cine film made as each frame was played back - it was a weekend highlight.

So, when I was asked to be a part of @Dell's creative showcasing historic photographs that bring to life the transformation of how technology has evolved, I was intrigued. It brought back memories of the family Cine camera. I wanted to get out the old battered suitcase of old black and white photos we’ve got stored away in our loft.

The project features old black and white photos of British workers between 1870-1920 shown on Dell’s latest laptop (the XPS 13 2-in-1) together with their modern-day equivalent.

Here’s the photo of me & a female photographer from 1920

The collection of photos were taken all over London juxtaposing professionals from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth.

The original photographs include a teacher, nurse, messenger boy and painter, and they were chosen to highlight how little technology was available at the time to do the jobs that we now rely on technology to do today. 

Behind the scenes a colourist Matt Loughrey spent six days digitally restoring the black and white archive photos(sourced from the Museum of London and Alamy)  in full colour to ensure they could blend with present-day backdrops.

Whilst technology is forever changing, we’re still similar to the people from generations ago, even after 100 years.

A photographer still captures moments that will live for generations to come; a nurse still cares for patients; a painter still paints and a teacher still inspires children to learn. Seeing the photos side by side shows in a way, that nothing has changed – despite the ever evolving transformation that technology has brought to the roles - the people have the same aspirations, family lives and routines as us.

It makes me curious for years to come, who might look at a photo that I've taken (or any one of us takes) and wonder what was happening in the world at that moment.

Photo credits @michaelleckie

To find out more about Dell's XPS 13 2-in1 with Infinity Edge Display visit www.dell.com 

Or for more information about the campaign check out these links:

• MailOnline - Stunning 19th-century photos are brought back to life in vivid colour to reveal how staple jobs have changed over time
• The Sun - BRITAIN IN COLOUR Stunning colourised pictures show how the working lives of British cabbies, nurses and teachers have been transformed by tech
• Mirror Online - Historic 19th century pictures brought 'back to life' show evolution of perennial British jobs
• Evening Standard - Colourised vintage images show how technology has transformed iconic London jobs  

A little bit about me...

I love to travel. I love home, but I’m at my best when I’m travelling to new places, experiencing local cultures and meeting new and interesting people. There’s a beautiful feeling I get when I travel. I feel like I’m a very small part of something much larger and everything is new, exciting and strange. In that moment of walking down a street in a new place, I know I’ve a whole new part of the world to discover. There’s a part of me that doesn’t even know if I’ll even like where I am, but it’s all there, ready for me to either fall head over heels in love, or decide it’s not for me and that’s the beauty of it. I get excited by the smells, the mood, the streets, the people; it’s like I’m a little kid all over again.

Some of my best travels and adventures have been alone. There’s this wonderful sense of freedom being alone in a new city, and for me it’s a chance to just take off, escape with my camera and just get lost – it’s where I feel happy.

I’m not going to lie, my first solo trip to Sorrento in 2015 - a place I absolutely love and I’ve visited before with my mum - was at first a little daunting. Previous to this trip, I’ve always travelled with family or with a friend – but I kid you not, after I’d completed my first solo trip, I’ve never looked back. I fell in love with travelling alone and also appreciating my own company, something I didn’t do before. It's also extremely liberating; I can do what I want and when I want to; eat what I want and to just daydream. If I want to eat ice-cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I can and no one but myself is there to stop me!

Of course, there are times when it does get a little lonely, but these days when you’ve the world of social media and a mobile device at your fingertips, you’re never really that alone.