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Fascinating! Some of these images are 70 years old and look as fresh as
ever. If someone had told any of the subjects in these photos that we'd
have such a clear look at them now, who would have believed it.

http://pavel-kosenko.livejournal.com/303194.html?thread=22669914

pretty amazing shots - the lighting is really quite incredible for the time, such control over the fill and backlights. The images do have a very 'glossy mag' feel to them and as such are very obviously posed, but still awesome shots. That said, someone should have taken some more care when posing some of the women with tooling - hands on bits of a drill that rotate

Awesome stuff and excellent find zafra, all of subjects close to my heart , aircraft

They almost look too sharp to be from 1940, but I'll believe you. They are excellent!

Beautiful photos probably taken with a Speed Graphic which was the camera of choice during WWII. Add to that the superb Kodachrome transparency film and 4x5 format and that is what you get, photos of timeless beauty.

Not just the camera and the film....but photographers who completed 3 year tertiary study to learn their trade. You can see the control in this imagery.

Wow, what a great series of photographs. They all look so sharp and accurate as though taken in todays modern technology.I have to say it was nice to see all the women doing the jobs that are often thought of as male dominated industries. Especially back then. However, given the times and the situations being faced no wonder why they got women to do such hands on mechanical duties. Maybe todays girls can get over this whole sexist attitude that is so prominent and just work like they did back then!! Not only did they work hard but they looked good whilst working!! (Just a note I am a female making this post)

a few of my favourites from this site:



great lighting in this one




I love the fact that this lady is wear gloves, but in the other ones where they are riveting and drilling they have bare hands

sirhc55 wrote:Beautiful photos probably taken with a Speed Graphic which was the camera of choice during WWII. Add to that the superb Kodachrome transparency film and 4x5 format and that is what you get, photos of timeless beauty.

Being a youngun, I have no idea what them thar things are, but the photos speak for themselves. Of course, I imagine that these are controlled lighting photos of models, who look a tad unfamiliar with their surroundings. (For example, in one photo the lady has a huge ring on her right hand, a definite no-no in dangerous factories of any era). The pilot looks a touch too Errol-Flynnish to be a real pilot, but then again, maybe he was? Maybe they all looked like Errol Flynn in those days?

In any case, the images are superb. Can we digitally reproduce this look today? I suppose we can, but as Matt alluded to, there was a huge amount of skill involved, unlike today's avalanche of fancy filters that replicate anything in an instant.