More About The 40-Year-Old Picture That Makes People Smile

[jakeXT]

This 1973 photo of five children playing in a Detroit suburb has gone viral on the Internet. The children were Rhonda Shelly, 3 (from left), Kathy Macool, 7, Lisa Shelly, 5, Chris Macool, 9, and Robert Shelly, 6.

About 10 days ago, we posted a Story about an almost 40 year-old photo that was taken by Joseph Grachiola. A former news photographer in the Detroit suburb of Mount Clemens, Mich., Crachiola had happened upon five children playing not far from his newsroom at the Macomb Daily and shot the above photo.

...

Joe Crachiola says he's spoken to four of the five children in his photo. Robert Shelly "is now 46 and works for the Macomb County Road Commission as a mechanic." Crachiola says they had a cordial conversation and "pretty much like everyone in the photo, he was taken aback by his newfound celebrity, but he was very upbeat about the whole thing."

..

"This particular photograph has reaffirmed for me the power of the still image. Even before I became a professional, I was intrigued by the power of the still image and its ability to make people think. I was captivated by the idea that if I could cause even one person to see things from a different perspective then I might also be able to make the world a better place in some small way. It's good to know that even in this day and age, when we are bombarded by imagery from every direction, that one photograph can matter to someone.

"I doubt if I'll ever make another photograph as good as this one, but this one image has given me reason enough to keep trying."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/07/29/206402308/more-about-the-40-year-old-picture-that-makes-people-smile

[spin]

1. Great photo. K&R

[Arkansas Granny]

2. That's a great shot.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Kick. (nt)

[freshwest]

4. These kids look like the ones in my area. I wish I had video of them dancing in joy.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

5. looks like my St. Louis childhood