A short story …

Keith's Ramblings

for Friday Fictioneers‘

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An invited few gathered to witness Oscar operate his newly acquired camera.  Two ladies facing him composed themselves, as he theatrically flung a sheet over his head, held a lamp aloft and bent down. 

A collective gasp erupted as a blinding flash assaulted everybody’s eyes.  One of the startled ladies reached for her fan, the other, blinking wildly felt for her smelling salts.

In a studio across town, two ladies were enjoying cups of tea and slices of victoria sponge.  They’d had a pleasant afternoon posing for artist Archibald. 

‘Photography will never catch on’  he said.  The ladies nodded in agreement.

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roger-smapshot-1Thanks to Rochelle for hosting and to Roger Bultot for the picture. However I wrote this before the prompt appeared, wrongly assuming that Rochelle’s sepia prints were the the intended source for inspiration!  Fortunately the window does feature some photograhs so I guess it’s okay!

Click Froggie to join in the fun!

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59 thoughts on “A short story …”

  1. Sadje Oct 6, 2021 / 15:10

    I thought that those photos were the prompt. Well done Keith.

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. rochellewisoff Oct 6, 2021 / 15:25

    Dear Keith,

    Sorry about the snafu this morning. At any rate I can’t help but applaud my fictioneers their creativity. 😀 I love your story. I agree…like the electric light bulb and the automobile, photography will never catch on. An OMG, you’ve outdone yourself with Froggie. I snagged him. Love love love it.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 7, 2021 / 13:41

      Thanks so much, Rochelle. Thanks too for giving Froggie a home, I’m sure he’ll enjoy painting alongside you!

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  4. Christine Goodnough Oct 6, 2021 / 16:11

    Your tale is great — and your graphics are a masterpiece! Photography never should have caught on and spoiled every social event and outing ever since. 😉

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    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 7, 2021 / 13:45

      Thanks, Christine and I so agree about photography, I’m fed up with being told to ‘say cheese’!

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  5. Dora Oct 6, 2021 / 18:07

    Keith,
    New gadgetry is irresistible, but I wouldn’t say no to a slice of victorian sponge! Your graphics are as amusing as ever. :>)
    pax,
    dora

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  6. Anita Oct 6, 2021 / 18:10

    Imagine how surprised/shocked they would be if they happen to see what’s happening now! Photography has survived & thrived! So many gadgets have cameras! 🙂
    Lovely story!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 7, 2021 / 14:04

      Indeed, you are never far from a camera these days whether you want to be or not. Thanks, Anita.

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  8. granonine Oct 6, 2021 / 21:39

    So many things people thought would never happen–have. For one thing, I’m using a laptop computer to type this. When my husband took a course in computer programming in college, the computer was housed in a big room. PUnch-cards came spitting out of the answer slot, after a noisy, blinking, buzzing process. Computers would never catch on. They were too big and cumbersome, too hard to use. And now? They’re the size of a slim wallet, and even smaller.

    They said it couldn’t be done 🙂

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    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 7, 2021 / 14:32

      You’ve taken me back to my first proper job when I was a salesman for a stationery company that sold paper and card designed for early computers and tabulators. I can still see those gigantic machines! Whatever next I wonder?

      Liked by 1 person

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      • granonine Oct 7, 2021 / 14:39

        Very few worlds left to conquer.

        Like

  9. Iain Kelly Oct 6, 2021 / 21:45

    I think instagram may end up being the death of photography! Good story Keith 😊

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Michael Oct 7, 2021 / 00:16

    Love the graphics and your flash

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. msjadeli Oct 7, 2021 / 02:53

    They said the same thing about computers. I really like what you did here with the graphics. So neat.

    Liked by 1 person

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      • msjadeli Oct 7, 2021 / 19:13

        You’re very welcome, Keith. I look forward to seeing your weekly graphics.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. GHLearner Oct 7, 2021 / 15:42

    Who needs all that useless modern stuff, right? Great fun and what an artistic froggy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. Inside the Mind of Isadora Oct 7, 2021 / 17:56

    And … look where photography is now … our phones. 😀
    I’m assuming you wrote your story on the photographs from Rochelle artwork.
    It’s a great story. I think those photographs should be a prompt for us soon.

    Stay Safe 😷 Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 8, 2021 / 11:31

      I did Isadora, although the are some photos in the shop window!

      When I was young I had a darkroom under the stairs where I used trays of developer and fixer to print photos! How things have changed!

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      • Inside the Mind of Isadora Oct 8, 2021 / 16:34

        I remember a friend of mine had a dark room where he hung the photos on a line to dry. I enjoyed watching the process as he did it. I suppose that’s why I enjoy photography. Yes, things have changed in so many ways including photo developing. Progress … 😳

        Liked by 1 person

      • Keith's Ramblings Oct 8, 2021 / 17:35

        That’s exactly what I did. Developing the roll of film to producing the pictures was a very long process.

        Like

  17. plaridel Oct 7, 2021 / 18:05

    there are believers and non-believers. they make the world go round. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  19. trishsplace Oct 8, 2021 / 03:21

    Victorian sponge, mmm. Not so easy to come by these days – cafes overrun with pre-processed cakes and biscuits. Nice story.

    Liked by 1 person

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  20. draliman Oct 8, 2021 / 08:51

    I’m sure if cameras still used massive chemical explosions or the need to stand absolutely still for several seconds, it definitely wouldn’t have caught on 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Bill Oct 8, 2021 / 13:24

    Another great one, Keith. As I think back on my photographer friends of the past with all their gear, chemicals, laboratories, papers, and lights, I must smile. Now everyone has a camera in their pocket and we’re all photographers. And the selfie. Such a world.

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    • Keith's Ramblings Oct 8, 2021 / 17:30

      As a keen photographer, I had all that stuff back in the day too. I first started doing photography at school where I got up to more than just developing pictures in the darkroom – say no more!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Bill Oct 8, 2021 / 20:49

        You impress me, sir Keith. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  23. James McEwan Oct 9, 2021 / 14:41

    No doubt, Archibald will invite the women for the next photo shoot by the river in a state of undress – well, how else do you sell photography?
    I like the idea of tea and cake.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  25. Woman walking Max Oct 10, 2021 / 18:05

    A lovely flamboyant tale Keith. I get the feeling that ‘it’ll never catch on’ is refrain across the years. A world wide web ? Don’t be preposterous !

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  26. ahtdoucette Oct 11, 2021 / 16:25

    LOL. Yeah, why would people want to walk around taking pictures of everything? Seriously, I ask myself this from time to time. Why DO people walk around taking pictures of everything? 😉

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  27. Laurie Bell Oct 11, 2021 / 22:24

    Hahaha, never catch on! Perhaps we might be better off if it hadn’t?

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  28. Tannille Oct 12, 2021 / 07:52

    Now, cameras are EVERYWHERE. Wonder what they would make of that.

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  29. Ain Starlingsson Oct 20, 2021 / 09:36

    Haha! Isn’t it amazing how at each invention the naesayers say that same phrase! Well done, and written of course.

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