Such Glee (3 of 6) by bmac62

Photography • People • posted on Mar 10, 2009

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Description

Children in Vietnam flocked to us wherever we went. Their actions gave me far more than I could ever give them in return. This reaction was enthusiasm over a pack of gum or a little candy. I am still amazed today. Ninety percent of the photos I took in Vietnam in 1965-66 were taken using Kodak B&W film. B&W could be processed locally. I wish I had taken a picture of the Photography store...in a thatched, grass hut...HONEST! Color film was readily available but it had to be mailed back to Kodak in the US or Australia for processing. I couldn't possibly wait that long:-) This photo is from the same box in my basement as the three photos in these previous posts: 1. Mekong River Eel 2. Ten Faces 3. 1965 Thanks for all your outstanding support and favorites. Bill

Comments (37)

PD154

4:19PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Very nice image Bill, I like this one.

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durleybeachbum

4:31PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Isn't that just FABULOUS! What a joy!

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fredster66

4:36PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Great expressions.... great photo!

frankie96

4:49PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Kids will be kids...the world over...

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kenmo

5:08PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Fantastic photo...It's better then a lot of the photos that appeared in Time or Life of this era....

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THROBBE

5:08PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

You've captured the happiness and joy in their eyes very well! Really great image Bill! I'm sure it always brings back memories. Great series!

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DAVER2112

5:12PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Wow! It really puts things in perspective. Wonderful image and story. More! :)

skipper62

5:33PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Bill, All of your Viet Shots have been great. Children in a war zone, restore a bit or order to the chaos. When you need a smile, find a child. Although sometimes heartbreaking if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, they seem to endure. Little folks of goodwill. God Bless them all. Skipper

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decie

5:34PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

stunning it is great to see so many happy and smiling faces well captured.5+

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drace68

5:51PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Skipper62 has the truth.

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danob

5:52PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Heartwarming image that hits the spot having been to such places as an ex military medic!

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LovelyPoetess

6:04PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

I had to smile just seeing those smiles. Great photograph!! Good choice on not waiting on colour processing, it would have taken far too long and who knows how many rolls may have gotten lost in the transfer back and forth. : )

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junge1

6:13PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Great capture Bill. I too had taken many pictures of the children, in color, and I lost all the slides and all military related pictures. I had a Minolta 16 and the b&w film I took was developed locally and was very poor. In November 1966 I bought a Nikon at the Navy store in Bangkok, and all subsequent pictures were color slides, which we sent to Kodiak Australia. They developed nudes.

MrsLubner

6:14PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

I love this shot. I have seen very similar in the poorer sections of the Mexican border towns back in the 60s. Fabulous shot.

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bronwyn_lea

8:07PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

What sweet faces and happy faces! Again, thank you for sharing.

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Fred255

8:11PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Fantastic! Shows a whole different side to that horrible war.

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Kaartijer

8:14PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Great capture, Bill... Fred is right, your picture shows a different side of Vietnam era...

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kansas

8:38PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Such happy little faces. Precious.

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auntietk

8:59PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

What a great group of kids! They look so excited and happy, it makes me smile! :D Wonderful photograph.

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Richardphotos

9:55PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

you really captured their spirit.lots of joy

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goodoleboy

10:06PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

Actually, yes, when we got out of school for summer vacation. Nevertheless, a stellar capture of the numerous urchins happy in response to offerings of sweets. I can't recall where I had my b&w photos processed when I was in the islands. My second hand Leica 35mm camera developed a light leakage problem after a while.

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foxxmulder70

10:39PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

NOW THATS A WONDERFUL SHOT! This capture speaks a 1000 words! 5 stars!

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timtripp

10:44PM | Tue, 10 March 2009

sensational!

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beachzz

12:15AM | Wed, 11 March 2009

Wonderful shot, kids can be so thrilled over the smallest things!!

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marybelgium

6:22AM | Wed, 11 March 2009

fantastique portrait d'enfants !

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CavalierLady

7:10AM | Wed, 11 March 2009

A wonderful slice of life that you show here! Nice to see the innocence of youth in spite of war. My brother in law was in Saigon and they were told not to engage the children as some of them were told to go up to the nice soldier man and they were tightly holding on to a grenade with the pin pulled out! A sweet shot, and wonderful memories you are sharing with us, Bill.

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anahata.c

9:07AM | Wed, 11 March 2009

yes, yes. It's a terrific moment. The music of glee, the counterpoint of faces piling into your view to be seen and photographed, and in that beautiful soft and modulated b&w. This is the kind of shot we'd see in newspapers & magazines at the time, from the great photojournalists whose eyes would capture these moments to tell us that life is full in all places, even in the midst of war. It has a classic feel to it. What a treasure. And judging from the responses here, others are moved by it too. What a gift to see this here! I never thought I'd see pictures like these on a digital site! I'm truly grateful...

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