Live photos of the First World War Bashny.Net

Pictures taken during the First World War, the American photographer Arthur S. Mole (Arthur S Mole) and John D. Thomas (John D Thomas) with the help of an archaic format cameras 11h14 inches. Two photographer played enchanting performances with the participation of thousands of models. Interesting, but to gather a crowd Mole and Thomas had to go to the camps of the US Army. "Under the Lens" became battalions, regiments and even divisions - soldiers and officers, who soon had to go into the trenches of the First World War.

Artists like conductors, led by giant extras. Preparations for the shooting began long before the direct construction. First, on the ground rascherchivalis line and sets a special flag on the contours of the future picture. Then began the rehearsal, which proved difficult to other military parades.

This process could take a day or two, but could not - and a few weeks. Only when each participant of the action firmly recognize their place in the order and the models were placed in places, which required 30 minutes to an hour, photographers climbed to a height of "bird's eye" to capture the big picture.

Plot images - typically, the national symbol of the United States, emblems and insignia. It is not surprising, because the campaign was commissioned by the US government, which is calculated, replicating images to advertise another internal loan for the war in Europe.

For some images the photographers had to demonstrate exceptional mathematical ability and knowledge of geometry. So much for the image of the statue of Liberty Mole and Thomas collected 18 thousand people. 12 thousand of them form the torch and only 17 men standing at the base of the pyramid.

It happened on a hot July day in 1918. According to surviving records, dozens of fighters under the burning sun - 40 degrees in the shade - fainted. And in order to capture it all with the height, the tower was built specifically where and climbed photographers.

As a result, the plan failed to implement fully. With only one amendment that the photograph was to be advertising to attract new recruits to the army, but by the time it passed to the customer, the war was over. The picture was never used for its intended purpose, becoming an artifact.

For image of the Liberty Bell in a Mole Dix military camp, located in New Jersey, he scored 25,000 soldiers. The bell is shown in the photo with a crack to increase the similarities and the symbolic power of the image.

Mole himself called his images "living pictures." According to his plan, they live with the help of the soldiers who form the images on them. In addition, each individual soldier as if dissolved in a giant symbol, giving a special effect of the composition.