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American Life in the 1930s and 1940s, Beautifully Restored and Colorized

A street vendor sells hot dogs under a red umbrella, while a family sits on the grass with a baby and a pram.

Have you ever watched a reaction video of a color-blind person putting on their first pair of corrective glasses? The disbelief of the number of colors in the world just overwhelms them.

Seeing something in shades of gray just doesn’t connect us to the moments we live in and limits the experience with the objects in our focus. As a result, life seems distant and consequently lifeless.

American life in the 1930s and 1940s

The same goes for old black and white photographs and videos. We can’t relate to them past the historical value and the knowledge that they are accurate representations of the past life.

Luckily for us, photographer Lamont Cranston took it upon himself to reintroduce these captured moments with a fresh coat of paint that changes the perspective on past life.

American life in the 1930s and 1940s

The recolored moments are from the gloomier age of American life pestered with the effects of The Great Depression of the 1930s and the certainty of the 2nd World War in the 1940s.

And while the severity of the worldwide challenges weighs upon the shoulders of the people, the colors revive a multitude of emotional nuances through the depth of their expressions.

American life in the 1930s and 1940s

It is remarkable how something considered a constant in our lives can make such a difference to our perception when added to moments caught without it.