Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo?
“Reopening of the South Fork Bridge after flood in Nov. 1940. 1941 (?)”
It’s the short description for the photograph shown at the virtual Bralorne Pioneer Museum, from British Columbia, Canada. The image can be seen specifically on this page (scroll down to the middle), among other items of the online exhibit. Did you notice anything out of place? Or perhaps, out of time?
The man with what appears to be very modern sunglasses seems to be wearing a stamped T-shirt with a nice sweater, all the while holding a portable compact camera!
Internet people reached to the obvious conclusion: it’s a time traveller caught on camera on 1940! Finally, we have proof!
If the story seems straight out of a movie and the photo is in itself a great funny find, the most amusing thing i came up with while looking into this – as an Internet person, on the Internet – was the reply for a skeptical, or perhaps somewhat cynical comment on how spurious it would seem the idea that a time traveler would want to visit the reopening of a bridge in some small town in Canada.
Read this on Doc Brown’s voice: “Of course, because we know nothing happened there right? But if we are considering time travel, how can we know if in some other timeline something historical happened right there?”
Indeed! Once you consider time travel, everything changes. But before writing Hollywood scripts, let’s get back to reality and ask again: is the photo evidence of a time traveller?
The source
As noted, the image is indeed available through the official website for Canada’s museums. It was part of the exhibit “Their Past Lives Here” from Bralorne-Pioneer, available to the public since 2004. It was put online since February this year, perhaps before that. And the peculiar “time traveller” image was only noted as such in the end of March, when it was linked on main websites such as Above Top Secret and FARK.
Given the source, we would assume the photo is authentic, and correctly dated to c.1940. Indeed, an Error Level Analysis suggests the image was not digitally tampered with, or at least that if it was, the author was smart enough to normalize the error across the whole thing. It’s a good job, if it was a job. And again, given the source, we would assume it was not a job.
So, how do we explain the man out of time?
Not quite out of time
As members of the ATS, like “Outkast Searcher”, diligently noted, despite looking very modern the man’s outfit and even glasses and camera could be found in the 1940s. Below, similar sunglasses used by actress Barbara Stanwyck on the movie “Double Indemnity” (1944):
The outfit could also be found 70 years ago. Being used as we are to our contemporary fashion, we look at the man and assume he’s wearing a stamped T-shirt, something that would be indeed out of place (or time). But if you look carefully, you can see that he’s actually wearing (or could as well be wearing) a sweatshirt. And sweatshirts with bordered emblems were not uncommon in the 1940s – in fact you can find those in other photos from the same exhibit.
The sweater he also uses seems to be hand knitted, with buttons on the front. Something that was definitely available at the time, if he had some kind grandma perhaps.
Finally, despite some comments about the camera lens being too big for the time, too compact, it looks like a Kodak Folding Pocket model, available since the beginning of the 20th century.
That is: even taking this photo for granted, as depicting an authentic scene, a real man with his curious glasses and outfit in Canada 70 years ago, there’s nothing that can be seen that is actually out of place or time. He looks different from other people, but it has already been suggested that he’s using welding goggles and a glove.
This is not much of a proof of time travel, and more like evidence of the cyclic nature of fashion. These days, even a beggar can be mistaken for a trendy fashion model. Keep reading for more into this and other time travel stories.
Not quite new
Despite being an awesome photo and story, the Canadian time traveller is not the first on the genre. One of the most famous Internet stories deals with Andrew Carlssin, a man from the year 2256 who appeared in Wall Street on 2003. It was published as a news item on Yahoo!, but few people noticed it was in the Entertainment section and that the source was the Weekly World News. In case you haven’t checked the WWN, you should do it now.
There’s also the story of John Titor, an elaborate story where a time traveller joined several online discussion forums! On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog, but if you tell elaborate stories about being a time traveller, you may just create an enduring digital myth. Alas, time itself took care of disproving all of John Titor’s stories about the future. Or perhaps that’s a nice thing, since the future Titor invented was pretty gloom.
And some years ago, the photo of a man with a Mohawk hairstyle at a festival before the punk movement made the style popular was also reason for buzz. I remember seeing it on BoingBoing, but now I can’t find it! Was it erased by the time travellers? Will I forget about it soon? In any event, I also remember that people quickly pointed out that although the hairstyle was popularized by punks, it was not unseen before that, dating even from before the Mohawk tribe.
Time travel is an amazing idea, but so far it’s all speculation, fiction, hoax and misunderstandings.
Case closed?
As a matter of fact, no! Despite being clear that the image, even if authentic, would not be evidence of an out of time man, it’s still possible it could be a hoax. After all, photoshop jobs mixing modern figures in old photos are not that complex. A series that has been popular the past few weeks placed contemporary super-heroes in historical photos:
Is it possible that an elaborate hoax could have included a manipulated photograph among the items of a museum exhibit, only to have it put online and finally exposed as “time travel proof” later? Well, it would be quite an elaborate hoax, but it is possible.
Let’s look again at the photo. Pay attention to the right arm of the “time traveller”: you may realize that the arm actually belongs to the man right behind him. Why would another man’s arm be in that position? Is there even space for such a large, tall “time traveller” to stand in there?
These could be indications that the man was inserted into the image without much care for perspective.
Or perhaps it’s just an unusual perspective, and the arm from the man behind just looks like it’s over the “time traveller”, even touching the camera? Or could the arm actually belong to the hipster traveller?
I don’t know.
If this is a digital hoax, why would the hoaxer insert a man that seems out of place, but not actually using anything that couldn’t be found in the 1940s? The camera is definitely old. What looks like a stamped T-shirt is a sweatshirt with emblem. Why not have him use something definitely out of time, like the logo for a company that wouldn’t be created until decades later, such as NIKE or even Microsoft? It would even make an amazing viral marketing for any company that managed to get buzz from this. Why not?
I don’t know.
Once again, it must be clear that even if this photograph is authentic, even if it depicts a real scene from 1940, it would not be the proof of time travel. Alas. Also, I tend to assume that given the source, the photo is indeed authentic, not tampered with. But that arm, it does look strange. I’m not sure. I don’t know.
I tried to send an email to the Bralorne Pioneer museum, but the address was not valid. I’m still trying to find (an easy) way to contact it. If you manage to get an official response from them, do share it. If you discover anything else, do share it. This is an adorable little “mystery”.
If I find anything of relevance, including flying Deloreans, I will update this page. [hattip to Aurélio Moraes, obrigado!]
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THAT IS A BATMAN T-SHIRT IN THE GUY!!! BATMAN WAS CREATED IN 1939, AND BEGAN TO BE FAMOUS IN 1940.. íNOT MUCH SURPRISE SOMEONE’S WEARING IT IN 1940.
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The glasses look to me like motorcycling/safety goggles and the figure on his jersey could easily be a deco pattern knitted into the garment. His hair is period too–something difficult to get right if you’re going for an historic look. Nothing really out of place here in 1930.
“Let’s look again at the photo. Pay attention to the right arm of the “time traveller”: you may realize that the arm actually belongs to the man right behind him. Why would another man’s arm be in that position? Is there even space for such a large, tall “time traveller” to stand in there?”
Why even throw this proposition in there? I suppose if you look at it hard enough you can convince yourself it’s not his hand, but the most likely (and believable) answer is that it *is* his hand. You can tell by the cast shadows that that arm would be in a shadow, accounting for the darker color of the sweater – and that hand looks pretty similar to his left (long, slender). I’m not sure why you’d bring this up as if it were almost fact…?
my dad had an old pair of “sunglasses” like these.
they aren’t modern profile at all.
there are triangular side pieces that are attached to the frame part that goes back to the ear. my dad’s glasses also had lens material along the top of the frames. (between the frame and the eyebrows.
if you look at the picture closely you can see the construction.
and yes, he told me they were “safety glasses.”
Not everyone wore a fedora in 1940. I immediately thought climber/mountaineer. He’s wearing glacier glasses, not whatever those girl glasses from that movie are. Those, plus the wool sweater and Kodak pocket camera were pretty standard for the kind of people that trekked to the top of mountains 60ish years ago. Oh yeah… BC = Canadian Rockies.
Kentaro, I happen to be of a mindset that – for a variety of reasons – finds scenarios like time travellers perfectly acceptable.
In fact – if I’m honest – I happen to personally know someone who does it physically, as well as others who can do it mentally, (and as you might imagine, it can be highly lucrative for them).
Ye’, ye’ – I know…and what’s worse: I usually get battered every time I leak info like that, even though no one – rightly! – ever takes a blind bit of notice – ah, but what the hell!
Anyway, I tell you all this to put in perspective my observations of your piccy: it’s a hoax.
Not only’d the guy’s ear have to be sticking out at extreme right angles to his head to generate that shadow, but the shadow’s source of illumination’s from somewhere above him, indicating if it’s the sun his image was taken close to midday.
If you then look past the two hats behind him, there’s a bespectacled guy whose ear shadow is much more compact and localised around the ear itself, indicating: 1) for his image the sun’s much lower on the horizon – i.e., it’s much later on in the day; and 2) whereas future boy’s light source is coming not just from above him but almost directly behind him, speccy boy’s light source is coming from much more to his left.
Finally, what clinches for me future boy’s light source probably isn’t even the sun is notice how the hair of everybody else without a hat almost glows, especially those individuals who, like future boy, have their hair sort of fluffed out – even the short brunette, (looking in future boy’s general direction, past the guy with the trilby and specs on his right), though she’s hardly exposed to the sun directly, still manages to catch enough of it to give her hair a neonesque outline.
[...] how do we explain the man out of time? Continue reading and pictures, Forgetomori.com var addthis_pub = ''; var addthis_language = 'en';var addthis_options = 'email, favorites, digg, [...]
Based on glacier glasses, clothes, camera and location, this dude’s a climber, not a time traveler (except in the sense that we all are time travelers). There was no photoshopping.
Occam’s Razor. You are all wrong. I am the one who is right.
@ alanborky: Prove it.
You people can NOT be serious! It’s a modern photo, obviously on a movie/tv set.
God help us.
morans.
why is he the only one that’s dressed like he is, everyone else is in suits but not him, hmmmmm!???!?!?!?!?!??????
alanborky revealed our secret. Now we have to exile him to the Phantom Zone.
Yeesh. The internet has all sorts of crazy.
Real pic, dude’s not inserted, and Mori, your breakdown of all bits of the photograph and its context is excellent. Love your site; keep up the good work!
Time traveler caught in 1940 photo?…
The above photo was taken in 1940. Some people say the hipster-looking fellow with the sunglasses on the right side of the photo is a time traveler because his hair, shades, clothing, and camera didn’t exist at the time. But Forgetomori does a fine jo…
That hipster doofus is clearly a young Kosmo Kramer! How can you not see that?!
Moran? U must be from the far idiotic future. Welcome.
[...] this link for more details about the image, which is real and not photoshopped. Time traveler caught in 1940 photo? Friday – April 16, 2010 at 7:12 pm CST [...]
With regard to the hipster’s right arm; I think it’s his own arm. The jacket he is wearing could have sleeves made out of a different material than the body. Alternatively, the jacket could be lined with shearling and we’re seeing that lining exposed.
If he is from the future (with respect to 1940) since he is Canada he is more than likely to be a time traveller not a a time traveler.
It’s seems to be a Montreal Maroons hockey team logo/sweater, team folded in 1938, wiki it.
[...] a small meteor(ite). Now, the Last Great Hope for proving the existence of time travelers has been thoroughly debunked. Clearly a time traveler from 23rd century Williamsburg, where 21st century fashion is back in [...]
[...] é possível. Outros acham que uma foto falsificada conseguiu entrar para a exposição. O blog Forgetomori (em inglês) argumenta que não existe nada de anacrônico na imagem acima, e que uma pessoa de [...]
The hipster was born in the 1940s
“”Hipster” has been used in sometimes contradictory ways, making it difficult to precisely define “hipster culture” because it is a “mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior[s].”[1] One commentator argues that “hipsterism fetishizes the authentic” elements of all of the “fringe movements of the postwar era—beat, hippie, punk, even grunge,” and draws on the “cultural stores of every unmelted ethnicity” and “gay style”, and “regurgitates it with a winking inauthenticity” and a sense of irony.”
….My trouble with the picture however is the framing and what appears to be the focus. Why would a 1040s photographer capture that guy, and look at the girl …staring right at him while no one else is.
With that said, I not knowing anything about climbing or mountaineering, I will have to agree with Matt Egger, that he is a mountaineer. The setting makes it very likely and his hair and his 4 o’clock shadow tells me that he had been in the area for a least 1-2 days. That would give the photographer a reason to frame him, and the girl a reason to stare. The dismissiveness of the others could be explained by him being a common figure around the area.
As for other’s arguments, one…look where the guy behind him head is located, how it’s turned, his right arm would be really awkward if he had it where the time travler is standing. I believe the guy behind him is easing his way infront of the travler as the travler looks like his head is turning to greet the guy, his mouth looks like it’s just about to start moving to speak.
alanborky suggest that the sun is a give away, however, I believe the sun is hitting him exactly as it’s hitting everyone else, but do to his movement while the picture was being taken the light casted a larger shadow around his ears, the other guy’s ear shadow is focused around his ear because his ear is pointing in the general direction of the sun, shrinking his shadow. Please note the time travlers left hand, it’s glowing in the sun suggesting like everyone else the sun in behind them and to the left
Morans are real and exist in the idiotic today.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=moran
George Thomson, the assayer at Bralorne Mines, bears a slightly older resemblance to that young man. It’s image 24 at the Bralorne Museum site. Of course now that gold is thrown into the mix speculation will go madly off in all directions.
a batman t-shirt in 1940? don’t think so. the oldest printed t-shirt is from 1948. and the few adults who followed comic books would not have walked around wearing them on their clothes anyway. it was a different time.
Okay thats a very good point, thank you. But anyways, if this guy is so outfit from the crowd, why isn’t anybody staring at him? If he was so outstanding from the crowd, people would be staring at him like who’s that strange guy there. But no one looks at him. And if he was so strange and outfit, not only one photo were made of him, rather about a hundred, like “oh look at this guy, so outstanding, looking like coming from the future, grab a photo from him”. But there is only one photo, and no looks at him strangely. But this is just a logical sh*t, not a fact.
That is the “time traveler’s” own right and. The sweater is just a vest. The sleeve of the sweatshirt is what you see and perfectly matches the color.
Looks like he’s wearing an old University of Michigan block M sweater or sweatshirt to me.
Its the ultimate hipster for the ages.
Given that this photo is from British Columbia, hence not far from Washington State, I thought it might be a University of Washington sweatshirt. The emblem looks a bit like a W. Not an uncommon sight in the Pacific Northwest.
why can’t people accept that hes from the future and hes just visiting to get some cool shots wit his new camara from the year 1940.
And he’s looking that chick because he wants to get laid.
yeah it’s that obvious…
Nahh I’m kidding ^^ …but seriously could it be?
Remember that Canada is at war in 1940 – I think it might be considered a little odd for a service aged man to be watching the reopening of a bridge. He could be secret service or conversely he may have a German accent.
It’s a nice idea but a photshop picture. Someone spent time making the phot blend in but forgot about shadows. The shadow of his ear across his face doesn’t happen on anyone elses face (no ear shadow).
Very sad for like a lot of others I’d have liked to have seen proof of the real thing.
sure looks like a texas long horn insignia on his shirt,not sure yea he looks different. kinda modern,the glasses,look old,but they do make those kind now, just not sure. the john titor story was crap. in it he survived by sailing up and down the coast of fl. selling oranges, but there are no real comercial orage groves in the area of west central fl. and the cost is so shallow you can only come in a few places,and these people could have orange tress and grapefruit in their own back yard. no real demand. so as far as that its fake.
The funny thing is that so many people are focused on the tall guy in the middle, nobody noticed the man in the lower left is holding an iPhone.
“I think it’s his own arm. The jacket he is wearing could have sleeves made out of a different material than the body.”
It IS his arm. Looks at the shoulders of his sweater, they have dark (we’ll call it black) panels, and it also has a black collar. The sleeves are probably black as well. His right arm is obscured.
I think what we have here is a guy with a hockey (the photo was taken in BC) or school sweater with a zip-up two color sweater jacket. The type of glasses he is wearing were available at the time as welding, motorcycle or aviation “goggles”.
Karoly, he isn’t the focal point of the original picture. Look at the very start of this piece.
His shirt looks like a University of Michigan “block M” to me
If you want proof of time travel look up the following on google: Leonardo DaVinci bicycle. About 30 years ago a long lost drawng of the great man was discovered in Spain showing a modern bicycle. The question is how did he know what a modern bicycle looks like? There was only two ways he knew: he himself is a time traveler or was influenced by one.
When you read the artcles about this drawing notice how the professors are furious about this find and try to claim,unseccessfully, that it is a forgery. Also notice how they try to protect the ‘time line’ of the development of the bicycle and how this drawing destroys this time line and the work of previous inventors. It does more then that because it destroys our very concept of history when there is evidence that people can travel back in time and actually influece events. Do not forget how DaVinci was able to draw inventions that were five hundred years ahead of their time such as a stank, macine gun, helicpoter, etc.
If you believe the photo is a fake, or proof of time travel I have some magic beans for sale.
They used to make little pieces of leather or plastic that slip on the stems of the glasses to block sun from the sides of your glasses (I used to have some). I believe that is what his glasses have, giving the illusion of some modern plastic design.
No time traveler here, just a hipster (can’t even call him a ‘doofus’ until we get to know him better). : )
I think he came to the event on a motorcycle, which would explain his glasses, hair and sweater vest.
MICHAEL Cohen, time travel is possible in theory; however….you would counter human imagination with a notion that someone had to influence it. If that is true where would humanity be in the future in the first place if not pulling from another influence? I once asked myself where did the concept of robots come from? As if they had been taken from a place and time not of our own, to influence movies and books and the imagination of millions.
If there is something that needs to exist, it will exist first in the imagination, there it waits until a process comes around to develop it or refine it. Most of what we consider modern predates us with crude drawings and even cruder artifacts of that object. That does not prove time travel, that only proves the resilience of human thoughts towards a goal. Hell maybe I’m wrong, maybe a time traveler did visit DaVinci…or maybe he can see into the future. But what is the most logical earthly answer? We talk about time travel now, in the future it will exist as it comes from our desires to see it exist. But this picture is not of a time traveler.
His sweater has a zipper closing.see the pull tab above his hand.Was metal used for zippers in war time?
I copied the enlargement to picasa and played with the values. His shirt has a large M on it, nothing futuristic about that. Just shifting the brightness brought up the texture on his sweater. The guy doesn’t look to me out of time, just a big tall lanky guy with sunglasses on. As for the hand it is either his hand or someone was trying to swipe it from him from behind. I tend to think its his hand in shadow…I still don’t see futuristic so much as “doesn’t match the crowd”. If somone finds a photograph of someone wearing a digital watch in 1898 then I might say you have something…this is just a 1940′s man.
[...] Pour plus de détails voir : Time traveler caught in 1940 photo? [...]
whatever the case; the girl in the backgrond seems to be looking at him
Assuming that I could go back in time for a visit, I would likely go back to see and meet old family relatives, some that had died before I was born and visit old places that no longer exist. I would on these occasions go back and experience some of my families’ history, not necessarily historical events.
The shirt looks like a Much Music shirt emblem. It would make sense if he were a Canadian going back in time.
Though it is all coincidence. It just looks like somebody in modern clothing stule.
…and, predictably, Coast To Coast picks this moronic item as a straight “crypto news” thing. http://www.coasttocoastam.com/ Look for it to be Wiki’d by tomorrow…with citations to “prove” that the story is “reliable”.
There is one good thing which can come from this: this story could serve as an excellent test for any number of human activities. Belief in this story could immediately serve to disqualify the holder for several activities which require good judgment, intelligence and maturity; such as parenthood, voting rights, firearms ownership, security clearance and driver’s license. Quick, simple, effective.
“…how spurious…the idea that a time traveler would want to visit the [opening] of a bridge…”
In the movie “Kate and Leopold” Liev Schreiber’s character goes back in time and listens to a speech in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, celebrating its construction, which had just begun. It IS a big bridge.
I am constantly amazed how many desk’perts are out there to immediately solve every mystery by simple denial.
Heck, anything that doesn’t immediately fit their interpretation of normal, must be faked. Right?
Just how do they know this?
Because if they would fake a picture to fool you, it means you and everyone else would do the same to fool them. And to prevent becoming a victim of their own brand of juvenile prank, they just deny as a matter of fact.
Hey, better safe in the bosom of ignorance than punked by another punk, ya know?
Fake…the shadows are not correct and there are other anomalies, too numerous to mention.
the sunlight is shining down on the man perfectly. look at the woman standing in front of him, her hat has a cast shadow from the traveler. also the angle of the shadow on the mans ear is diagonal and if you see the man with glasses standing above him his cast shadow from his hat is also diagonal. most likely this photo has not been altered and this dude is not a time traveler. but its fun to think he is, yes?
It looks as if the guy behind him is trying to get past. That would explain the look on the “time travelers” face, as well as the hand being behind the camera. What would be interesting to know is the setting, or context.
Depressing to know that in the future, there is still not a cure for hair loss!
here it looks like the timer traveler fell in love and had some children.
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=124431&ex=234
Regarding the shirt, I tend to agree with what Hockeyman said above about it being a Montreal jersey or whatever. And the glasses look like glacier shades, which are designed to minimize the possibility of snow blindness in polar regions, such as northern Canada.
Now, the thing I find most interesting myself about this picture, is the guy to the left behind him, the guy that looks like he’s looking at our suspect (although, that might be a reflection in his glasses). I find it interesting how much he looks like a young Mitch Pileggi, the actor who plays Skinner in X-files.
.. I think he might have used my time machine I am building.
http://www.marty.com.au/workbench/75-timemachine-part-1.html
As I don’t yet know this guy, I either him (and am yet to become friends with him) or he stole it – either way I should look out for him…
There IS a time traveller in this picture, but it’s not the “hipster”. It’s actually Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner from the X-Files). He standing just behind and to the right of the hipster. He’s wearing a suite, a fedora and glasses. How did HE get in this photograph, that’s the real mystery!
P.S. Here’s Mitch Pileggi: http://www.txf.net/images/mp/mitch-pileggi09.jpg
Actually, the right arm is entirely reasonable. Imagine you’re standing upright and are rather thin.. now, hang a camera where the shutter and controls are on the barrel of the lens.. the most comfortable way to hold this if you want to keep your hands on the controls, is essentially with your arms bent, flattened along your sides… it looks wrong because most of the arm is actually behind the guy (poking the guy behind him and to his right, no doubt).
[...] [...]
The lighting looks different on the Hipster than it does on the rest of the folks. I’m calling shenanigans! I believe it is photoshopped.
The dead giveaway is the stiched-in tuft of hair he sports in the front. Unless we haven’t improved hair restoration techniques by the time we’re capable of time travel.
Is he a time traveler? Probably not, but I do find the remarks about him pretty thought provoking. It is an interesting example of free thought when people are allowed to discuss even the most outlandish ideas just because they can. It’s too bad some are willing to willfully dismiss other people’s opinions outright because they don’t ‘fit’ with the ‘normal’ mindset. Just imagine what Leonardo’s peers thought of him?!
OK, folks, take another look. The large letter on his chest is not centered, indicating that there is something more to the right of it (our right, as we face him).
Ready, . . . hold it, . . . hold it, it’s an
M! as in Mtv! It’s the logo for the music network. The photo isn’t doctored, isn’t Photoshopped.
Now remember the famous Sherlock Aphorism: When you’ve eliminated everything that’s impossible, then whatever’s left, no matter how improbable, must be the answer.
[...] has an extensive analysis of the photo and the mystery man, and, with some help from members of ATS, points out that no [...]
The camera appears to be an old Kodak Brownie camera, and the sunglasses look like safety glasses. Maybe the fellow worked in a machine or welding shop.
People go to great lengths at times to create hoaxes to prove to their friends how clever they are. Brailorne is a clever place to pick. I have travelled the area my whole life and can tell you there is nothing left there now except for a couple of old houses occupied by OAP collecting aging hippies. The young guy looks awfully tall compared to man behind him who is almost completely hidden except for his ear and part of his hat. This man seems to be standing way too close to him to even maintain his balance. the traveller appears underdressed for the occasion. He could also be inserted from another similar time period photo. Brailorne is perched on a steep hillside. This picture, if it is from the area at all would have to be taken in the Bridge River Valley below the town of Gold Bridge 20 miles away.
I don’t know what year that guy is from, but I bet he got laid a lot. Or not at all.
My friend lives right near Bralorne, Im gonna ask him to go and check the history of the photo, and if he can give me better details of the clothing and camera in the photo.
I’ve searched for ages but can’t find his name, however the guy over the “hipster”‘s right shoulder, who is looking directly at the camera, is clearly a famous movie or TV actor. I’m sure he’s played a detective in possible a superhero movie or some police story.
I like the ideas about the man-out-of-time being a mountaineer. I concur with the sunglasses side protectors being glacier glasses and think the rear neckline of his t shirt looks large and old and / or stretched like a manky old mountaineer’s thermal shirt.
I can’t get my head around the M printed on his shirt, this looks very modern.
I believe this is a photo from a film set, surprisingly modern looking clothing in an old photo, or simply a good fake. I don’t believe for a moment that it’s a time traveller. I’d love to, but seriously?? No!
I’m highly inclined to think he’s pasted over someone else. I agree there seems too little room for him, in front of the guy with the mystery arm.
[...] It really did give me the creeps when I took a closer look at the picture. He is dressed like someone from the 1970s to 1990s but this picture was taken way before. As an avid Sci-fi fan, I got intrigued. I love the time travelling and meta-physics stories and books, and I love reading about the possibly futuristic world. This is the FIRST time I’ve actually seen proof that time travelling might actually exist! Another blog pointed out that this man might not be a time traveller, but someone that’s dressed a little different from the others. http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean/time-traveler-caught-in-museum-photo/ [...]
I would say that the “arm” in question belongs to the “man” in question
[...] The 12th Doctor? 18 April , 2010 — Alex K BCN Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? Source: forgetomori. [...]
“DaVinci was able to draw inventions that were five hundred years ahead of their time such as a stank, macine gun, helicpoter, etc.”
Davinci invented stank? I hear he also invented spell check. Too bad nobody developed that idea.
If time travel is ever to exist, don’t you think we would know about it by now? After all, someone would have come back in time, if only to warn us about some impending doom, or at least lay down some cold hard cash on multiple sporting events that could make them rich. I don’t care what you say about the implications of messing with the past. The human nature is too easily corrupted and selfish to pass up one of those chances, either for recognition or personal gain or both.
I have written six books on time-travel(under a pen name) and can verify that it really DOES happen! I don’t believe that we can find a machine, dial 1930, turn it on and be there! However we time-travel inadvertently by being around things that cause dimensional shift. My experience with this happened when Steve Gibbs ran his hyper-dimensional Resonator(HDR) in my home. The next day I saw a movie that was totally different from the one I had seen many times before! Often times when you shift dimensionally, only one thing changes. For me, it was the movie and the color of a candle on my dining room table.
Because this photo has stirred up such a quandary on the net, I thought I would comment about it as I have here about several other historical photos. I stress that I am not a photographic expert. My only expertise is in the analysis of styles and modes peculiar to various times and places in history.
I have read the article where such things as the knitted border sweatshirt are discussed. And I tend to agree with the debunking. Also, it is quite true, as noted here and elsewhere, that the sunglasses were quite available at the time, either as flying or driving glasses.
I cannot comment as to whether the time traveler has been inserted into the photo as others have. Some here at the department do indeed study photos pixel by pixel and two have assured me that this is not a photoshop job. Another one says it is.
What I can do is what I do best: Comment on the authenticity of the captured event and the people in it within the historical context of 1939-40.
The first striking thing about the “time traveler” (if it is true) is that he appears to have an unkempt or unshaven beard. Maybe this is a shadow, but if it is not, then he is quite out of place for 1940. Being clean shaven was an obsession in the era. Canada was very close to going to war on Britain’s side by this time, and having a five o’clock shadow was just not socially acceptable.
Secondly, the man has unusually long hair for the time. Granted it is combed backwards, but in a style that did not become popular until later, namely a “dry style.” A young man with such long hair in 1940 would have surely used some sort of hair lotion to hold it down. His hair style is totally out of place. Someone accredited this to being a “beatnik” but even the earliest beatniks, say around 1950, would have flattened their hair down better. This dry look is extremely unsual for the era.
Although every man is not bareheaded in the photo, it is indeed unusual that a gentleman of this age would be so. The obsessive wearing of hats became a badge of youth at the time and did not end until the late 1950s. Okay, the old men have hats too, but notice they are slouch-brim type hats and not dented. This is typical for those who would have been in the older generation in 1940. The younger men, like the one to the man’s side, are wearing the uniform of the day. Shorter, styled brim and a top dent. The absence of a hat is always significant in photos of the era in question.
The article mentions that this event is the opening of a bridge in some small town in British Columbia. I wish we could get more information about that. The excitement level of the crowd seems to indicate that there is more going on here than than the opening of a bridge. However, the crowd formation is exactly what one would expect in the 1940s. There is a line of parked cars which seems to hold back the crowd. People were more respectful of law and order in those days, and it is very plausible that they onlookers would stay behind the cars, but again, this indicates a more important reason for the gathering, as does the man’s camera and the other cameras, which are indeed authentic for the time.. I suspect something military is happening, like the unveiling of a tank or a plane. Canada, as I have said, is very close to entering the war. The most important thing that could draw a crowd at this time would have been war related.
There is a very telling absence of cigarettes, cigars and pipes in this photo. A group that large and that happy in 1940 would have included some smokers, both male and female. I can see none. This suggests not that the photo is not authentic but that there is some reason for not smoking. The proximity of the people would not have caused such a smoking abstention. People smoked everywhere in those days, and it does not matter how close they are together.
Another aspect of the picture, as compared to like pictures, of the time is the almost random mixing of men and women. Generally, the men would have clustered more together as would the women. There is something going on here which has caused these people to rush up randomly to the line of pre-parked cars and watch. The event definitely lacks pre-planning. The women would have been quite separate from the men if this had been so.
Whether or not the time traveler is wearing a contemporary sweater or not, he is totally out of uniform for the social class and culture of the event. His dress may indicate a collegiate look to some, but even that would cause some commotion in a crowd like this. He seems too brash for the times, as does his style of garments. Even his unsubdued expression would have been slightly suspect in a crowd like this. He is simply too out of place for the photo. His whole attitude should have caused suspicion.
The coats, collars, ties, tie knots, women’s hats and everything else seems totally normal. The man himself is the only anomaly, and Canada in the 1940s was no place for anomalies.
In short, I view it as a totally authentic photo with the exception of the man in question. I can see where someone might characterize him as “too modern,” but what is especially modern about his is his sense of brashness as exhibited in his dress and expression and stance. Of course, as I have said, people have clearly rushed up to see this event, and he may have recently arrived and has not yet caused much attention (except from one woman).
My verdict, finally, is that something is defintely wrong here, but I cannot say exactly what it is. The man, for whatever reasons, does not belong in the photo.
[...] wyt?umaczy? jedynie u?yciem photoshopa, to wnikliwa analiza, o któr? pokusi?a si? strona forgetomori rzuca na t? tajemnic? nieco ?wiat?a. Okazuje si?, ?e ?aden z przedmiotów widocznych na [...]
Just contact someone from this very small town and try track down someone who was there at the time and see if they recognize the guy. I bet the young lady in the background is still alive. He is most likely someone’s father or uncle and has family still living there. He is the approximate age my father is, and dear old dad is alive and well.
[...] wyt?umaczy? jedynie u?yciem Photoshopa, to wnikliwa analiza, o któr? pokusi?a si? strona forgetomori rzuca na t? tajemnic? nieco ?wiat?a. Okazuje si?, ?e ?aden z przedmiotów widocznych na [...]
[...] Time traveler caught in 1940 photo? [...]
What about the women in the background? She seems to be heading directly to the guy out of the future ?!
photoshop ftw
I doubt anyone would remember the guy from 70 years ago if they where still alive.
Montreal Maroons was a good guess and it does seem like a college or sports logo top, but the font of the “M” is wrong for an official Montreal Maroons logo. The Maroons used a strong serif font which included a bar on the top corners. University of Michigan also used that sort of font.
http://images.google.com/images?q=Montreal%20Maroons
http://images.google.com/images?q=Michigan%20University%20logo
What I want to know is why Assistant Director Walter Skinner from the X-Files is standing beside him
He even has that token sinister, sideways glare at the camera!
Drop this photo into a program that will let you blow it up real big.
The guy is getting the stink-eye from two feds.
Look closely, you’ll notice two men both looking at him with what looks to be deep suspicion.
One of them is standing between him and the girl moving toward him.
The other is standing with his elbow on the car.
Both of these men are giving the guy a very sideways glance, as if in anticipation that he may be about to do something or try something.
Two theories on why. The simple: photo is real and the guy is just a weirdo in terms of dress and style, and they are suspicious of him for that. The complex: He’s a time traveler and came through to this moment, but these two cops came through as well to keep tabs on him and prevent him from doing anything untoward.
I think it’s especially freaky that the two feds look like they could be clones of each other.
Its all an elaborate hoax. This photo is obviously photoshopped. You can tell. It was photoshopped and sent back in time to the 1940s by time travelers. Just to fuck with us in 2010 when the photo is uploaded to the internet.
I think there’s a fairly easy explanation for the ‘out of place’ arm. It is the time-travel guy’s, and not the dude behind him. His fluffy jacket thing is sleeveless so it’s the arms of the sweater underneath that are showing.
there is clearly need for an exciting new movie to come out, because if people are wasting their time on THIS then they obviously need something to do. photoshop came out a hell of a long time ago. back to the future was a great film, but nothing to start a religion about.
[...] Does this photo from 1940 show a hipster time traveler? Well, no. [...]
[...] Time Traveller seen in 1940s photograph. [...]
He looks like he has an earphone wire dangling out of his top…
@Cat Callahan
You said “My experience with this happened when Steve Gibbs ran his hyper-dimensional Resonator(HDR) in my home”
When and how did you use the HDR and does it really work? Im so curious..please respond.. thanks..
My initial comments are as follows:
1) The woman is definitely not looking at him, but more towards the camera.
2) Is there no one who is an old haircutter, or whose father was, that can absolutely analyze the haircut of the guy?
3)Whatever the event is, it has not yet happened.See the man with the folded arms, waiting.
That’s a knitted sweater and the camera is not modern, it has a curved eye piece that extends out from the back of the camera. It isn’t a Land Camera, but I have seen eye pieces like that before. Aren’t hipsters all trying to emulate this style?
Interesting photo. The time traveler …. isn’t. I grew up in that little gold mining town and I think I remember him. My thanks to whomever submitted the pic. I have lots of Bralorne pics. but not that one.
Wonderful place to vacation. Good trout fishing, scenic and only a hundred miles north of Vancouver.
Ugh…not time travelers though
Have you guys really done your research regarding the source of this photo? A South Fork Bridge reopening also occurred around this same period in the eastern U.S. — and although the flood causing the damage there broke loose several years earlier (late 1930s), that was also the site of the greatest loss-of-life disaster in U.S. history a half century earlier than here — the worst disaster EVER prior to 9/11. Such a major event might lure interest from a “time-traveler” whose demeanor and “distanced” expression (and Batman T-shirt?) are far more representative of this century, wouldn’t one suspect?
If you look at the photo enough it really does look like the guy is quite tall compared to the people around him added the size of his head as well.
Did anyone else notice that the guy to his right looks like Skinner from X-files?
Im gonna be that guy for halloween this year.
Maybe the arm isn’t out of place. Maybe the guy just has a sweater vest on over a long sleeved shit. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/1354353896_f8f5b06d16.jpg?v=0 something like that maybe??? Very interesting.
Could he have been a miner come to check out the event?
Perhaps it wasn’t such a weird occurrence to have miners dressed “shabbily”.
(Check out the museum website for evidence that there were mines in the area)
More than likely it is:
(a) – a group of modern actors dressed up/fitted out for a movie about the 1940s…or
(b) – an old photo doctored by photoshop…there is no way to tell, these days, with the newest versions…or
(c) – an old photo with a guy from that time wearing things from that time, and carrying a camera from that time, which happen to look more modern than they are because all new styles are just recycled old styles.
It most likely is not a time tyraveller. Time travel is possible according to Newtonian, Reletivity, and Quantum, physics, but any time traveller interacting even that much with that many people would have altered history so much that the world would no longer be here.
If a time traveller went back in time to make money, he would not do so by betting on horse races. He would do it by discovering, and owning, the major: gold, silver, copper, coal, and diamond, mines of the world, as well as the major oil fields, and by funding major wars, and by patenting the world’s major inventions in his name, selling such inventions, etc. He would own damned near everything everywhere, and by now be undisputed King Of The World.
Imagine the profits from selling the only machne guns, tanks, planes, etc, in the world to all the nations in a world war. Imagine the wealth of: Northrupp, Krupp, Beretta, Colt, Chrysler, Lockheed, BP, US Steel, Apple Computer, IBM, Standard Oil, etc, etc, etc, all rolled into one massive fortune owned by one person. The fact that such is not the case is proof that no such time travelling money seeker exists. The profits from horse racing, etc, bets would not pay for the cost of the time trip. Like space travel, time travel will require money,and resources….A LOT of each.
Figure a few billion dollars for each little time hop, of a few years, and a few trillion dollars for longer trips going back decades. A trip of several centuries would bankrupt a small nation, or two. Only by coming back from a time trip with ownership of something like The Anaconda mines, De Beers organization & resources, etc, could a time trip be made worthwhile. Only a big government of a big, rich, nation like the USA could even afford to fund the first time trip. Only such a nation could afford the research to figure time travel out in the first place. When time travel is developed, it will be by a government using it for conquest.
The first time traveller will take a few briefcase sized nukes back to ancient Egypt, Greece, etc, and take over the world, and use the resources so gained to maintain control forever. One royal family will rule the planet for all of time. It hasn’t happened yet, so we klnow time travel has not yet been achieved.
Lots of interesting analysis, however a few things seem to have been overlooked:
This area is *nowhere* near the Rocky Mountains. There is no glacier, it gets snowy in the winter. If you look at some of the other pictures it’s very common for the men to not be wearing hats and also to have the “dry” look. Here’s a good one: http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=124506&ex=234
The picture clearly states it’s the reopening of a bridge after a flood. It’s a bit of a guess but judging by what I know about these remoter areas and bridges it’s a pretty big deal when a bridge goes out and could result in people being completely cut off short of paddling across back and forth for some time or possibly driving many hours to get around it so it would be a big deal when it reopens and a lot of people would be waiting to get through and it would be quite an event in a small place like this.
But though it’s fun to speculate anyone who thinks this picture is photoshopped should have a look around at all the other pictures on the site to realize there’d just be no point really.
Dude i have searched high and low and cannot find anything to do with batman that even slightly resembles that W on the guys shirt.
It’s probably a school letter or something. Maybe he’s a tourist. maybe just an individualist who likes to stand out from the crowd.
The guy right next to him in the glasses looks exactly like Mitch Pileggi.
The hiker theory seems likely. As for the arm… it’s probably his, but I could see it belonging the guy directly behind him, whose face is blocked. He looks like he could have been trying to get in front of the mystery guy and was using his arm to try to push him out of the way or at least let him know that he’s trying to get by. It would make sense since the mystery guy is so tall that the shorter guy wouldn’t be able to see, so he’d want to move closer to the front. As a short person, that’s what I would do.
I blew up the photo and noticed the mans’ face appears to be pasted on to the back of the head.
Note the perfectly vertical line from the upper side of his head, past his ear with the curiously dark nearly straight line in it, down his neck to his shirt. Note how the ear is in TWO PIECES that don’t seem to match.
A blowup of the camera shows it doesn’t appear to be modern or digital, closest I could find was a 1926 Kodak Hawkeye camera – http://www.digicamhistory.com/1920s.html
I seriously doubt this guy belongs in this photo and was never there…it’s a great hoax but just tain’t so….just my two cents worth…
Some might notice that there’s a huge blur mark right on the neckline of the shirt, where probably some entirely different thing was blurred out of it. As well, as there’s a collar for something that doesn’t at all belong to the “sweater” or the “t-shirt” …
Given it’s a fairly “local” shot, wouldn’t someone in the genealogical society be able determine if this person existed? That is, if they posted the photo to their membership that someone might know someone….
And the “M” surely stood for something relevant.
I wondered, too, if this person was a professional photographer.
Here is a more modern camera produced by Kodak between 1940 en 1942 http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/kodak_duex.html
This looks a bit like the one he is carring (the one you’ve added in the text is far outdated and have not even a similar shape!)
The shirt logo could be silkscreened, which was done commercially at least since the 1930s.
As far as the location, Gold Bridge, B.C. is on the east side of the Cascades, which is high desert…..
Clearly a big fellow who is wearing a sleeveless sweater vest over a Letter sweater that seems to have a block “M” on the front. I’m guessing college athlete. I bet if someone did the research they could find another photo of this guy on a sports team at a nearby college that starts with “M”
Quite a few arguments have come up since i last commented.
(1) Height
(2) Hair
(3) 40s culture
(4) The old guy
(5) The “travelers” angle/position etc
……I will address these now
When first looking at this picture I thought the guy was unreasonably tall, and though I can’t base this on scientific merit I do believe people were much shorter in previous decades as they are now, however after closer inspection of the photo I can clearly see that his shoulder line is shorter than or matches that of the older gentlemen in the glasses. Likewise, the guy on the car if he’s not standing on anything is much more taller than the others. The “time traveler”, has a longer head which makes him appear taller than the rest, but that’s not the case.
Hair, the travelers hair should have been for most the first question asked, and it’s likely that he’s not been near a sink for some and mirror for at least a day or two. This is judging by his facial hair..you see in modern times we call that a weekend beard, because you grow it over the weekend. The area gave away to his appearance, wooded mining community, he could’ve been camping, hiking, a miner.. All likely, though miner is less likely, he’s just too clean and his shirt/sweater makes him appear more colligan.
40s culture, i know nothing about. However, i know this is taken in Canada, and they’re so different from us US.Americans, especially those disrict of columbians. The guy could be a draft dodger, but again everyone seems to accept his apperance and simply ignore him. Either the guys appearance turns them off, or he’s a common face within the town that no once cares for or he’s stand offish and to himself so they ignore him.
The arguement about 40′s culture being one of smoking, cigar clubs(men clubs) and gossiping women, makes sense…and if you look at the picture that’s exactly the dynamic i see going on here. There are a group of men without women right in the forefront of the picture, it seems only the older couples stuck together for the most part. And though not everyone is smoking, I do see atleast one person(in the background) doing what appears to be lighting/puffing a cigarette. A great deal of the crowd seems to be older, and this town appears to be small, it reminds me of Mayberry. With that it’s you can’t really compare mainstream 1940s with that of Mayberry towns, thogh some of the culture remains, it doesn’t mean things like smoking is widely as accepted.
…I would like to point out one last time that hipsters were common in the 1940s, and the style of dress was on par with modern hipsters, but a little less store bought and mass manufactered.
The old guy and the time trevelers angle, ……they are both making gestures pointing to the guy pushing through the crowd. The old guy in the glasses if eye ballign him out the corner of his eye, moving shoulder ever so slightly and the time traveler is turning towards him. It looks weird from our prespective, but imagien yourself in this situation. You’re holding your camera to prevent it from falling, some guy is pushing through the crowd, you turn to give him room.
…
With all that said, I’d like to point out how happy the people in the forefront are, no one else in the crowd seems to be happy and jeering. I believe the guy near the car is speaking with the people behind him, made a funny and turned away. Even the girl supposedly looking at the traveler, I now believe is looking towards the laughter.
Also if you really want a time traveler, I’d lean more towards the guy smack dab in the middle of the picture infront of the girl, his jacket seems a little out of place
The line of cars are obviously awaiting the opening of the
new bridge. After the opening ceremonies, it would be obvious
(to me, anyway) folks will want to drive across the new bridge
in celebration, and to get on with business as usual.
As far as no one smoking – examine the other photos in the
collection – I don’t see anyone smoking (well, maybe one)
in the other photos, even the “casual” photos.
Why wouldn’t the crowd be excited for a bridge opening?
Think about it … the original bridge was wiped out because
of river flooding, which means the folks were mostly cut off.
I’d be pretty excited to again be able to get to the other
side of the river, or to have supplies delivered to my town,
or to be able to provide supplies to the local mining towns.
And no, it’s not a military event – it’s a celebration of the
[re]opening of a bridge in a small and remote town. Heck, even
today, Gold Bridge (town) has a population of about 250. Back
in the day, it was a service center, supplying the local
mining towns.
As far as hats being de rigueur, again, check the other photos
in the collection. The “other” photo of the bridge opening event
shows men without hats, among other photos during that period.
I’ve seen a lot of shops in my time, you can tell by the pixels . . .
Obviously fake. Look at all the faces of people that are in the same orientation as his. The face shadows are “real” people in the photo clearly show sunlight on the cheek area. His does not.
Hello all. I’m a highly trained and experienced graphic artist who does perform photographic insertions using photoshop CS4 and I can tell you right now that this man is not inserted into the picture. Furthermore, it would appear that the “stamped” logo on his shirt is indeed embossed, like the example provided in this article. The “camera” that he’s clearly holding with BOTH hands and not with the help from the gentleman who’s to his right is indeed some kind of box camera. My grandmother owned one that required you to hold it in such a fashion unlike the one listed in the article as an example.
Someone earlier had mentioned that the glasses he’s wearing are “glacier glasses” and I’d agree with that person as well as I have extensive experience in mountain climbing and have used glacier glasses before, in fact if I look hard enough I’m sure I can dig them up out of storage. The point is simple, not everyone back then wore the same clothes. This guy is clearly younger than most of the people standing around him and I would guess he simply didn’t feel like getting all duded up for a meager reopening of a bridge in his local township.
I swear, some people just want something so much that they’re willing to fabricate any and all reasons regardless of how idiotic they may or may not be. Keep digging crazies, you’re bound to find something out there, right?
Com’on — it’s Photoshopped. The hand with the camera is obviously the guy “behind” him — that’s not his hand or the sleeve of his jacket/sweater. And look at the blurring on the sleeve of the woman “next” to him… Well done Photoshopping, but that’s all it is.
Hello, McFly!
I remember the forties well as I was married in 1945.. My husband is 6’3,, My brother in law was 6’4. Lots of tall men around. Smoking in public by women was not done until towards the end of the war. Definitely not in smalltown Canada. Time traveller resembles my cousin in his looks. Not all men had the Brylcreme look. Long hair was a definite no-no, as was a bearded look. Ladies wore hats for the most part. I know I did for dress occassions but we let our hair flow free most of the time. That is we youngsters did. Thanks for the memory. Emme
[...] writes on forgetomori: Reopening of the South Fork Bridge after flood, c. November 1940 It’s the short description for [...]
Same site, similar sweater, guy on the right:
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/CommunityMemories/ABYC/000a/image/original/ABYC000a00c9.jpg
That outfit looks typical of 40s-era skiers. The ‘M’ looks like a Charlie Brown zig-zag stripe to me.
Hi, there are a lot of comments to look through here, so I just thought I’d ask instead…did anyone ever find the picture that was mentioned about the guy with the mohawk before the punk era?
I am now hooked on this idea and would like to see it. Any info would be great! Thanks!
could the reason for the glasses and the unusual clothing be that hes blind and the hand of the other man is his guie restraining him in the crowd?
That may also explain why hes staring in to the middle distance
On the second background, there is a man in glasess, and is women too behind him. She to look time traveler straight in the face. Why ? Why she look at him ? She’s surprised and fascinate. I’am not shore but this is not a sunglasess it’s look’s like 3D vision, the same glasess like in 3D cinemas
Let’s say the guy is a time traveler, then 1) Is he a scientist working on the project? If he is, and has the capability to travel through time, wouldn’t he also take a moment to think, “oh, I better dress to blend in”? 2) If the time traveler is not a scientist, but was sent by scientists, why would they choose a hipster doofus, from among a long list (no doubt) of candidates? 3) If the time traveler is dressed like we would in our time, does that mean he is from our time, and we have a time travel machine? 4) Were scientists from the future (to us) trying to send a guy back to our time, so they dressed him like a hipster doofus to blend in, but they overshot and sent him back to the 1940′s? The guy does look a little bewildered.
this foto is amazing but im sure that no one is taking it serious (time traveler-ha)
The hand that look like another man arm is his arm he is wearning west and Sleeves have different colour.
camera is old but still this foto is amazing you can see that this guy was an individualist, sunglasses and he is dressed differently from everyone
could be considered that it was a poor man and thats why he look like this (different)
but in hand he have (probably) expensive small camera.
I think the look, while uncommon for a photo of the period, is not unacceptable. Remember, we know very little about the exact circumstances surrounding this event. I do, however, when looking at the photo get a vague suspicion that the tonality and texture of his portion of this image is different than that of the surrounding photograph. Something is off, but it’s not anything I can quantify since, while different looking, he doesn’t seem radically out-of-place.
[...] [...]
[...] is an article over at forgetomori that you’re going to want to read. It’s the short description for the photograph shown at [...]
just couldn’t leave the moron vs. moran arguement alone..lol
moran: The preferred method of spelling “moron” by morons, particularly that of a Missouri redneck at a rally supporting the US led war in Iraq.
found this one at the link you used to support your use of the word moran
It’s clear that this is a hoax. If you look at the size of the man in the picture compared to all the others, he has an enormous head and the body is too big. He is different in all respects to those around him body wise. The camera really doesn’t look that new for the era.
Think whoever did this photo was before his time.
Here is another photo of the event — from the back — the tall “time traveler” looks to be in the front left — from what I can see.
http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/john_wihksne/2006/dads_years_album/file0071.jpg
[...] at forgetomori there’s a photo taken in the 1940s. Notice the dude in the middle who looks drastically out [...]
Not to burst everyones bubble – this fellows letter is an M. It stands for a spanish built off road motercycle called a Montesa! they were popular amomg the dirt bike croud in the 60s-70s. along with others such as- puch,penton,zundapp,husky, ect-ect. Montesa builds world class trials motorcycles now. here is another angle to ponder – lots of folks are into retro clothing with the names of old europen dirt bikes emblems on them at the present time. This is not a hipster. he is a off road motorcycle dude. I am 51- rode dirt bikes at 6 years old, I can sorta tell one when I see one ya know??
I sent a message do not know if it made the trip sooo- here we go agan. This fellow is wearing a black tee shirt. The letter is a M. It stands for Montesa, a very popular brand of off road motorcycle in the 60s-70s. They are still building world class trials motorcycles today. Lots of offroad motorcycle people enjoy wearing retro clothing- with the famous brands of the day- penton, sachs, zunndapp,husky,ect-ect. I have rode dirtbikes from the age of 6, I am 51 now- can spot em a mile away you know? he is not a mountian climber- he is a dirt biker. Is it real? who knows- from what time frame? who knows– Just something else to ponder you see?? Thanks for reading this — have a good day- Dave.
Passes the Error Level Analysis Results test, though maybe it doesn’t detect analog retouching? http://errorlevelanalysis.com/permalink/0150313/
The guy’s name is Andrew Meyers. He’s our contemporary. He does time travel, not for any good reason, just to avoid his creditors.
If you see him in the present, please contact me through my email here. He owes me money.
Thanks.
[...] análisis realizado por Forgetomori, nos dice que todas las cosas pueden ser encontradas en la época, y aun así, nada de esto nos [...]
Surely, if this is a photo from a museum exhibit, it’s likely they may also have the negative. That would go some way to putting this item to bed.
He stands out to us because he looks to be dressed in quite a modern way, but no-one in the picture is paying him any notice at all. This would suggest that he fits in and is dressed in a way which is recognisable to people at the time.
If he were a time traveller from our time (or from the foreseeable future) the time travelling would be conducted by myriad professers of physics who are working for the government , they would take great care to make sure he fitted in and didn’t draw attention. He would probably look like a respectable gemtleman in a smart suit. He would not look like some pothead who made a time machine in his garrage dude!.
As for this nonsence about the light being wrong, you can clearly see if he were to look this way a little the side of his face would be illuminated just like other peoples and the shadow of his ear would be much shorter. Also if you study the angle of the shadows they all generally point in the same direction.
The bigger question in this photo is, five peoples’ heads to the left of our time traveller, what is Cptn James T. Kirk doing there???
the sweater is actually not with buttons but with a zipper.
the t-shirt definately looks like a t-shirt and the logo looks nothing like the one on the sweater you showed for comparison.
Also, even if all the items were available at the time, the way the person combines them, the style he has, it’s definately not of that time…
Also, look at the age difference, except for the younger girl in the background, most people in the pic are older than 40 or even elderly
I’d have to hear the guy say he is a timetraveller first to believe it too, but some arguments aren’t really valid when trying to say he isn’t…
it’s a nice thought though :p timetravel…
[...] Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? – Extremely cool (although sadly explicable) photo. [...]
[...] ‘non-believers‘ zijn allesbehalve onder de indruk. De zonnebril die hij draagt, is helemaal niet zo modern [...]
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The left hand is the hand of an older man. It can’t be a man standing behind him, it’s wrapped around his torso. Fake I say.
[...] OK, this is hilarious. A little weird, but hilarious Can you spot the time traveler in this photo? Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? | forgetomori [...]
The real question is, why would someone travel back through time to visit a bridge re-opening? Shouldn’t he be looking for Hitler’s grandfather or something?
Check out the Wikipedia entry on the ghost town of Bralorne, BC, where the photo was most likely taken:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bralorne,_British_Columbia
It seems to have been a thriving community at that time, and definitely a place that would have attracted lots of eccentric types.
Our “time traveler” was obviously a motorcyclist – explains the ruffled, windblow hair; protective eyewear and casual attire.
Time Traveler? I can’t say, but that is definitely a MICHIGAN block M.
It could be a letterman sweater.
It’s deja-vu all over again.
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/0,39029552,49305387,00.htm
[...] At last a time traveller has been caught on [...]
@JohnC – ok, it’s not near the rockies, rather the Coast Mountains I guess. In any case, it’s in the mountains. Glacier glasses are made for snowy conditions. They don’t necessarily need to be worn on a glacier.
[...] Forgetomori via [...]
Of course the man is a time traveler. Why else would Walter Skinner – AD of the FBI and the guy who oversees the X-Files – be standing right beside him?
[...] Read the rest of the article at Forgetomori.com. [...]
This was fun to read–thanks.
Excellent! We can’t be sure if it’s our hipster “time traveller”, but it sure is a good find, thank you!
[...] the power and the wisdom of Internet people. After more than 100k hits to the hipster “time traveller” in 1940 story, comes the comment from Angie who found another photo of the South Fork bridge reopening… [...]
Yes!! George Lucas was inspired by this old 1942 photo of an X-Wing landing on an US aircraft carrier.
http://i.imgur.com/B0CsT.jpg
Yeah… a guy shows up in wartime Canada “supposedly” dressed like no one else, “supposedly” carrying a compact camera” in the middle of a small town and “no one notices”????
1) He doesn’t look out of the ordinary (that is a Letterman” sweater worn by every university jock in North America, those are sports sunglasses worn by skiers and outdoorsmen –including my father in the day–, and that is an ordinary fold-out camera).
2) No one seems to notice he “looks out of the ordinary” and, believe me, in a small town in Canada in the 1940s anyone who stood out would be stared at like a sacred cow wandering down Main Street.
3) Why would a time traveller show up in the middle of a crowd “supposedly” looking out of the ordinary. Seems to me, he would be trying to blend in, not stand out.
The fact is, he’s not a time-traveller (because there is no such thing) and anyone who thinks he is is an idiot.
[...] visitas para a fotografia do “viajante do tempo” em 1940 em português, e mais de 213.000 para a versão em inglês em apenas cinco dias, com um pico de mais de duas pessoas lendo o texto por [...]
It is George Thomson, he worked at Bralorne Mines. He is wearing his safety goggles that he used when handling molten metals, he is wearing a knitted cardigan over the top of a Montreal Maroons hockey shirt. John Wihksne has some other photos of George. The camera is hard to identify, could be a Leica III or similar in its case.
his face is too big. according to the proportions of the body, his feet should be inside the ground. IMO this is a hoax. the editor guy did a good job at matching the lighting of the original scene. but the man is way out of proportion. i think this is because the editor wanted to hide some parts of the original photo as well as the man’s photo so that we cannot see the anomalies.
CLose up the hair… looks like two persons, the guy in this pic the dark hair, over a blonde hair, on the top… photoshop
[...] a time traveler captured in a photograph from a Canadian [...]
Did somebody mention the haircut? Definitly 40′s.
I would have to say that I do belive that there may be something to this picture (1 The glasses are not of that time.(2 The camera is also out of place it seems to be a newer modle of telephotolense that is 1 smaller and 2 it does not appeare to have to be buled out by hand as most of the cameras from that time.(3 Men in that particular time piriod did not wear there wear there hair like that even younger men of that time used some kind of grease in there hair.(4 As another person had pointed out,the young lady was definitly stareing at the man as if amazed by his appearence.(5 If this was a gathering for the opening of a new bridge why on gods earth would she be fixated on this man unless there were something about him that seemed a little out of place to her.So now I must say that all things are possible wheather we want to believe it or not case and point The Philidelphia expieriment or did most of you forget that.All that said maybe there is some truth to this photo.Stranger things in life have been known to happen so this can’t truely be impossible.
Here i am agan – This is like a person laying on ther back in a field looking at puffy clouds – look a horsey- and theres a big bird – and a — But look at the vertical shadow on the dudes neck, its sharp- all the other shadows are soft- kinda fuzzy.
Doctor?
[...] alot of analysis on forgetomori and more facetious analysis [...]
Some of the technical anomalies (shadows, contrast, etc.) can possibly be attributed to slow shutter speed. I see several faces that look slightly blurry, which for a stationary crowd would suggest a shutter speed of 1/15th or so. I suspect our time traveler was moving his head at the moment the picture was snapped.
jum1801, it might be an idea for you to check out the source material first. Then you won’t look like an idiot.
Why does everyone keep saying that the woman is looking at him? Follow her line of sight. If anything, she is staring at something further away, and in the line of sight in front of him.
Lets have some fun – this photo is full of time travelers, others have noted people from the x files – ect, check out the tall female with the big hat, she is holding her hat with her right hand – in the last row of people to the right rear of the suspect dude, see her? ya know who that is? recall the wizard of oz movie? the scene where the house landed in oz? that lady in this photo is the whicked witch that the house landed on!! Its a shame we cannot see her feet in this photo because if she is wearing the ruby slippers, this photo would have to been shot before the movie!! aaaa – on 2nd thought- if she is a time traveler this silly fable is a moot point!!! enjoy the ride everyone!! I must go – its time for Totos din-din!!
Everyone is noticing his shirt and the sweater but am I the only one who appears to have noticed that it looks like a hoodie? Notice the string in front of his left shoulder and it looks like a hood at the back of his neck which he tries to hide with sweater. I don’t know when the hoodie was invented but I kinda doubt it was around in 1940.
A also remember my parents who where kids at the time once said that hats was the norm both for males and females. Going outdoors bareheaded was a big no-no back then. Which doesn’t mean people where on occasion caught bareheaded though.
Commenting on the Batman-emblem, originally the bat logo was against the grey background. The yellow oval background didn’t come until much later. I Can’t pinpoint any special year but a fair guess is perhaps the early 60′s or something like that. However, I don’t think it looks like a Batman emblem but an M as most people also perceive it as. If it was a Batman logo with a yellow oval background, then he would certainly be out of time.
To comment on Cat’s comments, I saw a movie a couple of months ago. It wasn’t sci-fi but more like a romantic drama. It wasn’t Kate & Leopold although I can’t remember the title. I think it was Gerard Butler who played the leading role so you could check it out on ImdB. This guy didn’t use a time machine but shifted spontaneously similar to the guy in Journeyman.
I think I might time-shift myself from time to time. In my case it is not like I wake up in a different century or even decade. It’s more like shifting time-lines. The time is the same so to speak, same year, day, month and week and such but on a different time-line. I wouldn’t have even noticed if it weren’t for small details. It’s hard to explain but it just feels weird. But gosh, I wish I could travel spontanously to other periods in time like in Journeyman but only farther than in that series. That would be cool but only if I could return back home again of course. Wouldn’t be as fun to be stuck in France during the revolution or during the witch trials lol.
¿Viajero en el tiempo en foto de 1940? [ING]…
Una foto de una inauguración de un puente en canada en 1940 aparentemente captura la imagen de una persona ‘adelantada’ en su tiempo……
Yemi was right. We had to keep pressing the button.
about the sweather and the M, i was looking for old photos from Montreal Maroons, http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/mtlmar/maroonspics.html and like another tells the typography is different. But, not in all the years, if u looks fine, u’ll can see that 1924-1930 logo is diferent font that the anothers ( http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/mtlmar/CBenedictMar.jpg )
Please take a look at the young man on the far right of another photo from the same museum from 1937.
The sweater looks very similar.
The lines which accompany the picture are
“1937 on steps of Pioneer Community Hall”
“Sports and recreation was important to the young children and teenagers as well as the adults. There were youth clubs, hobby clubs, dances and other events in the community hall.”
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=124482
Por que dicen que el brazo no es de él?..si se fijan la chaqueta de lana que lleva lleva el cuerpo jaspeado y el cuello y las mangas son en liso oscuro.Al estar tocado la camara perfectamente el brazo puede tener esa posición.
De todas formas respecto a la camiseta no habrá fotos de la época con ese emblema?seguramente podrían encontrarse.
Muy interesante,de verdad.Un saludo!
A couple things I noticed: ALL the other men in the pic are wearing suits or at least a suit jacket. Regardless of whether his clothes are authentic for the time, it is NOT appropriate for whatever this event is. The shadows on his face are very distinctive like from an object. Shadows on the others are not so defined. In my opinion it is a bogus photo.
[...] segunda es la elaborada por la web forgetomori (pinchad en el enlace si quereis ver el estudio más detallado, eso sí, está en inglés). [...]
Do you think could it be Howard Hughes?
After listening to a bright P.H.d. student analyze the photo and deciding that the glasses and camera were consistent with the period and the hair and clothing seem consistent with a motorcycle rider you are simply left with a tall slender adult man who rides a motorcycle and doesn’t mind looking eccentric in a crowd and is interested enough in engineering to take a picture of a bridge. I suddenly formed an idea that I had seen that face before. Hadn’t Hughes been out west a lot?
Howard Hughes was born in 1905. That would have made him 35 in 1940 which I think looks like the age of the man in the photo. If you look at this photo of him at roughly the same angle seen dancing with Ginger Rogers; the hairline, nose, ears, chin and height seem to match.
http://img3446.imagevenue.com/images/loc523/34332_0772_2294_122_523lo.jpg
http://www.squidoo.com/howardhughes
What was he doing there? Looking for gold likely (Edison turned up in Sudbury Canada looking for Nickel once) and looking like a University grad just off of a motorcycle maybe. A company called Hughes Exploration Group discovered a rich goldmine in Bralorne B.C. the supposed site of the picture (perhaps a coincidence). He was a world traveler also.
What do you think?
All the best. Nice coverage of story I thought.
It’s a fake. The camera in front of him is being held by the man behind him. So who ever did this, the lighting is great. Why they didn’t just delete the camera from the image I’m not sure, maybe to let those people in on the joke.
I can say the lighting is better then the “Moon landing” pics for sure. Lighting always gives fakes away…
I’d be more worried that Superintendant Skinner is standing to his left…
What about the shadow on his neck, with a peak on it. This is coming from his collar. Therefore there is a light source coming from below his shoulder and shining upwards.
The biggest mystery here is why anyone would come to the conclusion that this dude/hipster is a time traveler? I mean why would that be a conclusion to come to? Just because he has some fashion sense don’t mean he comes from the future. I see dudes dressed in 50′s style all the time these days don’t mean they traveled from the past does it!
Tidsreisende på fotografi fra 1940-tallet?…
Sannsynligvis ikke, men det er definitivt kult med folk som skiller seg litt ut
Noen som vet hvor man får tak i sånne solbriller?…
I imagine the Museum came up with the idea that he is a time traveler.
[...] taken in British Columbia, Canada, have been making the rounds. In particular, the popular website Forgetomori has done some nice write-ups about a “hipster” seen at the re-opening of a bridge. In [...]
What? There is no strange arm—that’s his sweater. That’s his hand and nothing in this photo is out of place for the period. And I just wasted time.
[...] berbeda datang dari Forgetomori yang meneliti gambar ini habis-habisan. Menurut dia, fashion yang dikenakan pria tersebut bisa kok [...]
[...] Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? [...]
So… you’re saying this ISN’T proof of time travel? wow.
COMPLETELY FAKE!
As a decent amateur photographer, I can tell you right away that this image is a complete fake.
The lighting on that man does not fit the surroundings. For starters, he’s a lot taller than the people around him and there is no one directly behind him which is where the lighting is coming from in the rest of the picture, and yet, his face shows partial shadowing except for right under the sunglasses and along the bottom of his face under his ears. Also notice that people further to the left in the image have their faces completely lit up…so what’s causing the shadowing on his face when it’s obvious that with others it usually from someone taller standing behind them (which as I’ve said is not the case with him)?
Notice the guy directly behind him, also tall, has his whole face lit-up. If this picture were in fact real, the man’s face would be lit up as well so sorry folks, but the image is most definitely fake.
i think there is a possibility that this picture could mean anything. i have to say, it did influence me greatly and i like it.
maybe it real, maybe not.
maybe some of you should not be so close minded, think outside of the box.
[...] Les apparences nous jouent souvent des tours. Nous sommes parfois portés à conclure un peu trop rapidement. Avant de penser à des phénomènes étranges, il faut éliminer les explications banales… Vous trouverez ces dernières dans cet article. [...]
[...] A Time Traveller! Something that has sparked some discussion on the internet recently, it seems, is the apparent spotting of a time traveller in a 1940s photograph. I just heard about it because Harpo posted a link on Facebook and I have mercilessly stolen it (mwahaha). So, take a lookee. A guy in sunglasses, knitted top, a sweatshirt/shirt with an M on the front and a camera in his hands looking decidedly out of place. Finally, some proof of a Time Traveller? The event is the opening of a bridge after flooding which cut the town for a while. People have wondered why a Time Traveller turned up to that particular point. A little mudane, right? Time Travellers should be appearing in the much more historically important events. Of course, something significant could have occurred here, that this plucky individual diverted and thus we'll never know of it… Obviously there's lots of counter argument about why this person can look out of place and still be a normal 1940ser. But I thought I'd post it, this being a SFF forum and I can't help being intrigued by anything odd and out of the ordinary and the discussion it sparks. The link: Is This a Time Traveller? And another site that deconstructs the photo a little more: Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? | forgetomori [...]
The “brightness” of the light on the traveler’s face is in
concert with the rest of the folks. The difference in contrast
Chas is referring to depends on placement of each person. The
contrast of light for the traveler is in concert with a number
of other folks in the photo.
It’s important to take note of the angle of the head with those
in the photo who have a similar angle.
BTW – here’s a “photo of the photo”:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/2/2d/20100324114459!South_Fork_Bridge_re-opening_crowd.jpg
And a second “BTW”, did no one check the Error Level Analysis:
http://errorlevelanalysis.com/permalink/1ef0c43/
I might even suggest this is him:
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=117618&ex=00000470
Same ears, jaw-structure, and possibly, mole.
[...] o restante da história aqui: forgetomori.com (em [...]
[...] folks at the blog forgetomori outline a perfectly reasonable explanation: the sunglasses, clothing, and camera were all available back then. A reader even uncovered a [...]
I’m a time traveler! I’m from the past and have discovered the ability to travel forwards in time, Unfortunately only at a rate of 1 millionth of a second faster than every one else.. still I’m pretty proud of my self..
It’s young John Kerry. This also explains how he was in Cambodia that Christmas Eve when no one else in his outfit was.
[...] Odlican clanak na temu, budi mastu: http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean/time-traveler-caught-in-museum-photo/ [...]
[...] * Time traveler caught in museum photo? [...]
[...] primera posibilidad la planteó seriamente el blog Forget Omori: el caballero viste moderno pero no tanto como para que sea imposible que obtuviera su indumentaria [...]
Here’s why I think it’s a photoshop fake: if you look at the Guy with the Glasses (GG) (who some comments have said looks like Mitch Pileggi) you will see that between GG and Fake-Time-Travel-Guy (FTTG) there are supposedly two more people standing there. However, if you look at the people standing in front of GG and FTTG, you will see there is not that much room. The woman with the dark hat is in front of FTTG and there’s only space for one person (older woman) before the person in front of GG (grumpy woman).
In other words, FTTG is actually occupying the same space as the person originally in the photo at that location, whose head, ear, and hat are visible over FTTG’s left shoulder.
Stan Koren, I love the Howard Hughes theory! Not sure it is him, but it could be.
The dude hopped on his motorcycle (or in his plane!) to see the opening. He left his helmet (leather) on the motorcycle and ran over to take the picture. It’s early morning; he didn’t bother to Brylcreem his hair.
The pointed shadow is of his neck tendons. He’s skinny.
Young men’s hair styles 1940:
http://www.life.com/image/53371678
http://schoolbusdriver.org/bball.jpg
CCC typing class in 1933, it’s not like a hairstyle seven years out of date is embarrassing (esp. for a bridge geek):
http://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2010/01/CCC_typing_class.jpg
In fact anyone saying that all men’s hair then was short would then have to claim that the young man nearer the front is also a fake.
Also
http://www.rison-dallas.com/images/early1940s_rison_football.jpg
It’s the French DJ Terrence Fixmer. I had no idea he was also a time traveller! http://mixing.dj/files/djs/Terence_Fixmer.jpg
[...] Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? [...]
These sunglasses looks exactly the same:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/PopularScience/9-1940/adjustable_glasses.jpg
I find it interesting that this guy seems so out of place, yet no one is staring at him. You’d think if there was someone truly that out of the ordinary in the crowd, people would notice him there and at least one of them couldn’t help but stare. Yet they all seem oblivious to him and completely focused on the bridge opening.
[...] Traveler Caught in Museum Photo Found this: Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? | forgetomori So what do you think? Is it a time traveler? Photoshop? Anyway I found it pretty amusing. [...]
[...] Ikke ifølge skepsisbloggen Forgetomori som har den mest dyptøyende gjennomgangen av alle, med innlegget Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? [...]
If you take photos of a crowd today, and hold onto it for 50 years, there’s likely going to be someone who looks “ahead of their time” with fashion and accessories that will be popular in 50 years. I just can’t read into this anything more than he wore clothes that were only mainstream many years later.
Nobody in the crowd is even paying notice to him. He’s just a guy who happens to dress different from anyone at the time. If anyone could bend time and space, I think they’d have more important things to do.
[...] an in-depth analysis, visit forgetomori. addthis_url = [...]
[...] som valgte å besøke Canada i 1940? Det tok ikke langt tid før nettet ga oss svaret: nei. Det var fullt mulig for en mann å se slik ut på denne [...]
Ok first of all, if this were a fake, don’t you think that the person or people who did it would have made it a little more obvious that it was a time traveler? I’d have him wearing or holding something that was way less controversial as to what time era it came from.
secondly the wrap around shades were not popular back then and the photo above that shows them in a movie… those are not wrap around shades… look closer and you’ll notice that that’s just the shadow of the glass on her face.
The camera is not an old camera like noted in the other photo because you can clearly see the smooth glare on the camera that clearly defines that it is not an accordion type fold happening there.
The shirt is not a popular school lettering shirt because these were always sown on…. this shirt that he is wearing is not sown but rather printed… not to mention that it is not the correct type of shirt that is used for lettering like that.
nevertheless, nothing here looks out of time as if to suggest that this is a time traveler or a hoax. It’s just a coincidence.
where is his lef shoulder? considring the angle which is standing we have to be able to see his left shoulder specially the man behind him pushing him.The Man behind him can’t position himself in such a small place and the perspective and dimensions are not matching and his head and face looks much bigger than every one else even in comparasion to those people who are closer to camera.
It looks so fake!
I meant his right shoulder!
Just at quick glance, It seems faked to me. He really stands out. He looks a bit large (notice he looks more in the foreground than the lady in front of him). Looks like he must be standing on the shoes of the man seen behind his neck.
[...] “Heh, festlig illusjon”. For å lese en utmerket analyse med en nøktern konklusjon, gå til denne siden. Noe av det artige med denne saken, etter min mening, er at det illustrerer litt hvordan skepsis [...]
[...] acuerdo a esta teoría no es posible viajar al pasado, sólo al futuro… mientras no se construya un DeLorean con un condensador de [...]
[...] Forgetomori checks it out. Given the source, we would assume the photo is authentic, and correctly dated to c.1940. Indeed, an Error Level Analysis suggests the image was not digitally tampered with, or at least that if it was, the author was smart enough to normalize the error across the whole thing. It’s a good job, if it was a job. And again, given the source, we would assume it was not a job. [...]
[...] has an extensive analysis of the photo and the mystery man, and, with some help from members of ATS, points out that no [...]
I think the sleeves to his sweater are black, much like the weird old sweaters you can find in thrift stores and old attics.
[...] Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo? | forgetomori [...]
[...] speaking, this one looks to be wishful thinking, but it’s an interesting read. Thanks to Shayne in Atlanta for the [...]
The reason this guy looks so “hip” is because the global recession has caused todays fashion world to look back in time for ideas. His haircut and clothes is therfore, much like young people dress today.
The REALLY interesting thing about this picture, is un my opinion thay nobody has noticed the retarded lion in the background.
Keep looking…look closer…There you go. No rip out your own eyes before you die of amusement.
[...] Shore wander through a Mad Men episode but there it is. To learn more read the excellent article by Forgetomori as they attempt to explain whether it is a time traveler, a prank, or proof that 1940s fashion [...]
[...] http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean/time-traveler-caught-in-museum-photo/ dziwne zdjecie z 1940/41 ukazuj?ce posta? nie z tej epoki (podro?nika w czasie?) [...]
[...] That brings us to the photo at left. It’s like the beginning of a Crichton novel. A figure is noted in a historical photo who doesn’t appear to belong. Proof of something more? Take a look and decide for yourself – forgetomori has a fantastic breakdown. [...]
While I haven’t had a chance to wade through all of the comments, yet, I just wanted to comment that this is a fantastic article. Secondly, the museum image is certainly not a fake. I’ve done enough video analysis in my day to determine that without a doubt in my mind. -Perspective and blending are perfect, as is the angle of the shadow on the “hipster’s” face being cast by his ear.
Also, at first glance, the “phantom” hand also seems pretty obvious – the man to the side and slightly behind our suspect is either in the process of handing off or taking back the camera. Why? Our hipster appears to be pretty tall compared to the crowd. Why not hand him your camera to help take a picture over everyone’s heads?
Two cents.
I found this camera! Zeiss Ikon Nettar http://www.lyndrup.dk/ken/Engelsk/Zeiss-Ikon/Nettar% 20515-2% 20E.htm. Released to production in the 30 th years
The girl top left is staring at his camera, must be something new or “futuristic” for her. At least one person could have imagined the guy came from the future.
First – this dood has Jimmy Stewart hair – 1 pt for period
Second – his glasses are glaciers – think Hillary – 1 pt period
Third – chica is not looking at him, she is looking past him at someone likely she knows or wants to bang – point for period
Fourth – that rug he is wearing over the letterman sweatshirt was very thriftstore hip for the time – think wooly vest – period for sure
Fifth – lighting on his hair is being diffused due to the unkempt nature of the top of his mop likely wind blown – its not laying even – so hard to reflect the light in any one direction – already got a point for the hair but had to bring up again and wont take a point.
Sixth – again lighting – look at the dood in the hat who is also tall – lighting on his face is same – bright on neck with shadow off ear is same – point for period and yes there were tall people back in the 40s.
Last – he’s a hipster student of the period – a time traveler would be wearing bright pink and green spandex with two welded metal forks as glasses – think Wendy-O of the Plasmatics – if have any idea of what I am talking about.
5 Points – Canada wins for authentic picture – cool site – l8r
[...] Plus d’infos : http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean/time-traveler-caught-in-museum-photo [...]
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Where is the light source that casts the shadow under his chin.
See:
http://imgur.com/JydjI.png
[...] thing that really captured my imagination this month is a story called “Time Traveler Caught in Museum Photo?” – I have used the photo as this months background image in the banner [...]
RE the “ear shadow” — it’s not an ear shadow, saddos, he has a shadow down the whole side of his face, like everyone else. The light in front of his ear is a reflection of the overhead sun off the earpiece inserts on his sunglasses (prob glacier glasses, they had either sunglass material (i.e. shiny) or opaque material with zillions of little holes for better peripheral vision.
there is just something about him that makes him look like he is for the future, his hair and just the way his face structure looks. his t-shirt looks like a band t-shirt/ all cotton t-shirt
ok so i live in this small town. it is very different today than it was then. todays pop. 60 in the greater area around this time (1940) around 16000. for one i don’t think there is anyone in the town that is capable of tampering with an image or that would even consider doing that. Bralorne and the surrounding areas were apart of the great canadian gold rush. The mines there were some of the most productive gold mines in north america and there is one still in operation today. Needless to say lots of different people have traveled through this town since then and now. It is not situated in the rockies as someone here has suggested but in the coast caribou mtns. The mountains surrounding Bralorne are legendary in their own right and yes it is very likely that he could be wearing glacier glasses. Or perhaps he worked in one of the many mines. You would have trouble getting ahold of the museum at this time because its closed in the off season. You can contact the Mineshaft Pub one of the only buissneses in town if you wanted to speak to people, its a REALLY small place. the museum is amazing there and the towns people are very protective over it, so it would be hard to imagine this photo getting tampered with. Ive spent lots of time there and the photo looks pretty similar to all the rest. there were also many men that worked full days underground in the mine (it went town 28ish flrs) and were as a result very sensitive to light. Maybe thats why hes wearing those glasses.
While it’s true that time travel is possible (Apparently, they have sent a seed or something that size back less than a nanosecond in time :p), we still have a way to go before that mista Hipsta Goes Back Into the Past Happens. Who knows, could it true? Maybe. But hey, there are people who dressed “weirdly” back then as many of us do today! ;D
[...] intelligence systems. He was designing organizations that use intelligence systems. To take an anachronistic liberty, he saw it as an HCIR problem about the relationship between people and computers. As he put [...]
[...] http://forgetomori.com/2010/fortean/time-traveler-caught-in-museum-photo/ [...]
I read about this at the D.I. forum. I have a program called JPEGsnoop which checks the compression signatures on photos and will indicate if a photo has been edited in photoshop. This photo has not been edited in photoshop. I followed your links to the online museum and I could not find a trace of this photo. I tried using key words and flipped through many pages, however I did not come up with this picture.
I was inclined to agree with you about the arms because it just appears as if they belong to whomever is standing behind him and are looped around his waist, but on closer inspection I see black trim along his collar and it’s not so unusual for a sleeve on a letterman’s jacket to be of a different color and material.
[IMG]http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww114/unfathomable_album/ScreenShot003-10.jpg[/IMG]
It may be cardigan and possible a sleeveless one, in which case the sleeves would be the same dark color as the shirt underneath.
“A cardigan is a type of sweater (or jumper) that ties, buttons or zips down the front; by contrast, a pullover does not open in front but must be “pulled over” the head to be worn. It is usually machine- or hand-knitted from wool or cotton.”
Here are a couple sites with pictures of vintage glasses that are similar to what this subject is wearing and they could possibly be driving, flying, motorcycle, or safety goggles.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?s=ed8b120ba920dd0c2e9fde4d6c4af000&t=4451&page=17
http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/goggles3.html
Except for not being able to find the photo posted at the Museum site… where I traveled not just from the links here but from a link posted at another site in which this topic was being discussed, I’m all fine thinking it’s not a time traveler but just a guy that’s not wearing a suit and tie like some, but sporting cloths and has on what are probably riding glasses… he kind of looks weathered and his hair looks wind blown at top. Maybe he made it over to the event on a motorcycle or a bicycle.
What’s actually scarier is the old man at the bottom right-hand corner of the photo: he appears to have no EYES!!
[...] ?? ????????????? ????????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ??????, ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????. [...]
[...] Probably not, but it makes for some interesting ideas. A second photo confirms that the first hasn’t been doctored. Maybe he’s the one that left the tiny Swiss watch in the Chinese tomb? Category: Amusing/Interesting/Appalling, Science Fiction and Fantasy | Comment (RSS) | Trackback [...]
It looks like an old football uniform. My dad had one, the number was only on the back. He fits into the crowd, despite his age.
[...] forgetomori Archivado en Internet ← La [...]
Take note of the dark-haired young lady standing to the right of the T-shirt guy. While everyone is obviously absorbed looking at the opening ceremony, the young lady is casting a glance at the T-shirt guy’s attire or camera or both with obvious interest.
Sorry folks, I work at the Bralorne Pioneer Museum and I am 99% confident that this photo was not photoshopped.
[...] su mnogi portali, pa ?ak i naši, objavili ovu vijest forgetomori se bacio u potragu za objašnjenjem koje ?e ?ini vrlo prizemnim. Dapa?e, našli su i Kodakov [...]
The sunglasses are indeed genuine 1940s sunglasses. They are not curved wraparounds; they are in fact flat and square. The lenses are perfectly flat and so are the side pieces, which are made of dark clear plastic. The lenses are near triangluar in shape. The man’s eybrow darkens the sharp corners of these sunglasses, so they look curved in the picture. How do I know all this? I have the exact same model of sunglasses. They are marked Made in Canada. I always suspected they were 1940s, but this is the first time I have seen them in a 1940 picture. They turned up in a vintage clothing shop in New Zealand of all places.
[...] there is a full article about it here which I am pretty sure explains why this is true. I say “pretty sure” cause frankly [...]
i guess we’ll find out if this dude was a time traveler if those type of shades become popular in the future. either way, this dude has got some serious swag
[...] We’ve found him. I don’t know how, but we’ve found him! Run for it, Marty! [...]
Mori, the one detail you missed is the teenage girl gazing directly at this awesome guy. She is obviously fascinated with him. If you drew lines from her pupils they would be pointing directly at his sunglasses. Her right eye especially proves that she is not looking at the photographer. If he was inserted she would be looking lovingly into empty space or the old lady which is unlikely.
These sunglasses are proving to be such a sensation that I think I will get copies made up. They are indeed very cool, and people are always asking me about them. The only surviving pair that I know about are the ones I have with me here in Tokyo. Wear them every day. If you want to see pictures of the real thing, send me an e-mail.
darumatokyo@yahoo.co.jp
[...] [...]
[...] (há quem diga que aí está um viajante do tempo.. aqui está um artigo sobre isso) [...]
Silk screened clothing has been around for a long time, it’s not recent technology.