Oh, the '80s….
This is a picture of my friend Carol that I took in her bedroom the summer of 1982.
I think it is the quintessential '80s photo; clutching a bottle of Aqua Net, wall plastered with posters of our favorite bands, hair piled-high, and her made-up (beautiful) face.
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I'm submitting this photo as my Best Shot Monday photo, which is hosted by the breathtakingly talented photographer and writer Tracey Clark — one of the founders of the collaborative photo blog Shutter Sisters.
Each week she asks blogger/photographers to post their best picture of the week, and although I took this picture 27 years ago (gasp!!!), it's the exact framing and composition I would have used if I had taken it this week. If Best Shot Monday were around 27 years (gasp!!!) ago, this would have been my submission.
Tracey also chooses a theme for the week and this week it is "Authenticity." I think this photo fits it well. Carol and I were 14 when this picture was taken.
We were just being ourselves.
I was pursuing my budding passion for photography.
We ate bags of pretzels dipped in peanut butter without a thought about calories.
We spend hours walking the train tracks that ran between our two houses, just talking and laughing.
We were true friends.
We were authentic.
It's one of my Best Shots–ever.
This is one of the best shots EVER!!! I Love it. Do you still have contact with Carol???
I have pictures of my room from that era too….walls and ceilings covered w/ posters. I don’t dare show them to my girls…they may try to do the same thing!!!
Suz,
That photo is absolutely phenomenal! I am stunned at the talent you had at 14 and thank goodness you kept taking photos! Everything about this image is perfect, I honestly thought it was a magazine ad when I first glimpsed at it. Now here’s the best question: are you and Carol still best friends? (I noted the use of ‘were’ and wondered if that meant you were no longer as close?)
Absolutely perfect photo. Wow the 80’s were a good time!!
omg. that is seriously SUCH an awesome photo for so many reasons!! I am so glad you shared it with us! it’s beyond priceless. thanks so much for this. it made my day. : )
Carol and I recently reconnected on the wonderful… spectacular …. fabulous …Facebook. We hadn’t seen each other in years but have plans to have coffee in two weeks! I already made her a CD with all our favorite songs and will, of course, take pictures of our reunion 🙂
Thanks all—make sure to check out Shutter Sisters. It is phenomenally inspirational.
“Desperately Seeking Suzanne!”
AWESOME pic; Holy Bangles Batman.
Sweet photo. The Alarm rules!
Love that hair! It’s quintissential 80s. I can smell the Aquanet from here.
Oh man! What a flashback! That’s an incredible 6 inches or more of hair + hairspray!
I adore the Shutter Sisters. I can’t remember now how I found them. I think it was from a link on a photography blog. Whatever. Anyway, they are inspirational.
As for the pic…wow, Aquanet. Oh how I loved me some Aquanet. Great, picture! It’s seriously a perfect summary of the 80’s rolled into one photograph.
And you’re not showing up in my reader. Boo hiss Google Reader.
What a perfect photo. I had flashbacks to hanging out with my best girlfriend in her room getting ready for an evening out. Thanks for sharing!
This is the best shot. Ever. Quintessential 1982.
What a shot! It’s wonderful. BHE will die! I will send her over!
That is the perfect 80’s shot…How clever of you to encapsulate a moment in time….
I just love this! I remember that hair, the cool wall, and all th Aqua-‘glue’. What fun times! Hope you and Carol have fun over coffee! Now I wish I were in OC!
Oh my god! I was sooo into Spandau Ballet. What a beautiful photo.
Oh. my. god! That photo is like totally fer sure terrific! It couldn’t have been better if like a movie producer staged it! Gag me with a spoon, was that really 27 years ago?! I could like totally cry now. And, if you took that photo at 14, you definitely answered to your calling. Thanks for the laugh.
Great photo! Carol is beautiful!
That is brilliant! It’s like it was during the new wave era, a la Kim Wilde etc.
You couldn’t have captured the 80’s more perfectly!
fantastic. looks like something out of my seventeen magazine in high school :).
This brings back SOOOOOOO many memories for me. I was 17 in 1982. I saw the Clash, Devo, and the Romantics in concert.
Ballet flats and stretch pants were my best friend. Had the cool hair cut and went to a very preppy private school.
Lord…those were the days.
There are no words. This is an amazing picture!! Seriously could be hanging in a gallery somewhere. You are gifted!!
…falling in love with Carol. Will have them sing “True” at our wedding.
This photo brings back memories. I always wanted my hair to do that but even with a can of aqua net, it just wouldn’t. Great photo!
That is so awesome. I love finding old photos of friends and family. Great shot!
Great photo!!!
And that’s a lot of HAIR
The photo is perfect. And your friend – gorgeous!
Ohmahgah! Culture Club AND Duran Duran?! I think I kind of want to make out with Carol a little.
What a chance you kept pictures of these teenage years !
All is authentic, a slice of life of your 80’s.
I only get souvenirs left. Good ones, but not photographic ones.
Hope you’ll show us pictures of your reunion.
Very touching post.
Extreme 80´s and totally hilarious. I still listen to Bangles and Bowies´s Let´s Dance. Both of those have lasting qualities. No kidding.
Being a product of the 80’s myself, I agree with you wholeheartedly…this shot IS awesome! Nicely done! I hope you win! 🙂
I love the photo! However, after the flashbacks I went into shock at 27 years. The floor has a dent in it from my fall, but no to worry, my medic-alert will sent help momentarily!
This photo makes me want to grab my stone washed jean jacket and head out to an Oingo Boingo concert. I was a year old when this picture was taken but I think I used aqua net hair spray then too.
I absolutely love this! It reminds me of when I was that age. I was so in love with Simon from Duran Duran and we would dress up like Madonna all the time. Thanks for stirring up the memories.
To think that I was annoyed with you girls’ “silly-ness” and messiness — and now it seems so charming (!). Carol was a very sweet girl and so precious. Give her my very best. Can’t wait to see pic’s of your reunion — you girls have fun!
That is one fantastic photo!
This should be an album cover!
That is GREAT!!!
This is a great shot!! When I first saw it I thought it completely looks like a photo you would take today. Wow…a photographer in the making. I love, love this photo. It could be a movie poster for a John Hughes film.
OMG..this is too good!!!
Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad that you joined in at Mother May I for Best Shot Monday!
🙂
It’s really a perfect ’80s photograph. Look at her hair!!!
Silhouette of a Temple of Dwarka: http://infobybvc.blogspot.com/2009/04/silhouette-of-temple-of-dwarka.html
Wow, that’s some serious hair she’s got going on! This is definitely a quintessential 80’s photo…great shot, Suz!
Totally captures that time period for sure! I agree… amazing picture!
Totally worthy of a win! Stellar shot that I’d expect to see in a magazine. Impressive as always.
This picture is so incredible, I can’t stand it. Just perfect.
I had hair like Carol’s but only about 1/3 the height she achieved. Know what’s funny? I still like it. And let me add my name to the list of people who are stunned by your 14-year-old’s eye for the shot. But then, I’ve long thought you have an incredible eye for unusual framing of your subject.
Best shot -EVER. And now I’m wishing I could have a time machine so I could go back into the 80s for a visit! I miss my walls full of Duran Duran posters! On second thought, your photo is the best time-travel-machine ever!