Meet Our Vintage Collection Archivist, Bill Bonner | National Geographic

[Music]

[Music] in the history of people and photography

in the history of people and photography

in the history of people and photography is not very old

writing sculpture art I mean these are

writing sculpture art I mean these are all pieces of documentation and

all pieces of documentation and

all pieces of documentation and photographs show the real thing I mean

photographs show the real thing I mean

photographs show the real thing I mean they’re kind of like living ghosts

they’re kind of like living ghosts

they’re kind of like living ghosts shadows of history that you can actually

shadows of history that you can actually

shadows of history that you can actually see maybe not great moments we don’t

see maybe not great moments we don’t

see maybe not great moments we don’t have pictures of Babe Ruth hitting a

have pictures of Babe Ruth hitting a

have pictures of Babe Ruth hitting a home run but there’s pictures of people

home run but there’s pictures of people

home run but there’s pictures of people like us just doing our thing just live

like us just doing our thing just live

like us just doing our thing just live in our life

every picture in these brown files every

every picture in these brown files every one of them I’ve looked at

one of them I’ve looked at

one of them I’ve looked at [Music]

seeing the whole world not as it is

seeing the whole world not as it is right now but as it was 100 years ago

this picture here of the Sphinx remained

this picture here of the Sphinx remained unpublished for many decades there was a

unpublished for many decades there was a

unpublished for many decades there was a note on the envelope in fact I got the

note on the envelope in fact I got the

note on the envelope in fact I got the envelope here looks like says the Sphinx

envelope here looks like says the Sphinx

envelope here looks like says the Sphinx has been entirely uncovered this picture

has been entirely uncovered this picture

has been entirely uncovered this picture is very much out of date signed

is very much out of date signed

is very much out of date signed Grosvenor the editor date of 1928 so

Grosvenor the editor date of 1928 so

Grosvenor the editor date of 1928 so he’s telling his editors this this

he’s telling his editors this this

he’s telling his editors this this picture is not current in 1928 so don’t

picture is not current in 1928 so don’t

picture is not current in 1928 so don’t use this one use another one that shows

use this one use another one that shows

use this one use another one that shows what sinks actually looks like at that

what sinks actually looks like at that

what sinks actually looks like at that point

point

point consequently it didn’t get published and

consequently it didn’t get published and

consequently it didn’t get published and here we have it close to 90 years later

here we have it close to 90 years later

here we have it close to 90 years later and and I we have published it recently

and and I we have published it recently

and and I we have published it recently so it’s like wow at least for me it’s

so it’s like wow at least for me it’s

so it’s like wow at least for me it’s like opening your grandparents family

like opening your grandparents family

like opening your grandparents family album for the first time you see all

album for the first time you see all

album for the first time you see all these people how they were when they

these people how they were when they

these people how they were when they were young and you see people you

were young and you see people you

were young and you see people you haven’t met but you know almost familiar

haven’t met but you know almost familiar

haven’t met but you know almost familiar you can see their faces so clearly and

you can see their faces so clearly and

you can see their faces so clearly and it looks like the pictures were just

it looks like the pictures were just

it looks like the pictures were just just taking it in some ways

and other cultures places around the

and other cultures places around the world I see people carry heavy loads on

world I see people carry heavy loads on

world I see people carry heavy loads on their head always amazes me I mean how

their head always amazes me I mean how

their head always amazes me I mean how do they get that on top of their head

do they get that on top of their head

do they get that on top of their head first of all then you walk around

first of all then you walk around

first of all then you walk around without falling National Geographic

without falling National Geographic

without falling National Geographic image collection manages 11 and a half

image collection manages 11 and a half

image collection manages 11 and a half million images I oversee the vintage

million images I oversee the vintage

million images I oversee the vintage side which is an estimated 8 million

side which is an estimated 8 million

side which is an estimated 8 million images we have about 12,000

images we have about 12,000

images we have about 12,000 illustrations we have one of the largest

illustrations we have one of the largest

illustrations we have one of the largest collections of all the Chrome’s that

collections of all the Chrome’s that

collections of all the Chrome’s that exists in the world we have nearly half

exists in the world we have nearly half

exists in the world we have nearly half million black-and-white prints we have

million black-and-white prints we have

million black-and-white prints we have pictures from the 1870s we have hand

pictures from the 1870s we have hand

pictures from the 1870s we have hand tinted black-and-white prints I think we

tinted black-and-white prints I think we

tinted black-and-white prints I think we have a lot of masterpieces here I think

have a lot of masterpieces here I think

have a lot of masterpieces here I think they’re vintage guys we’re really good

they’re vintage guys we’re really good

they’re vintage guys we’re really good photographers being dedicated their

photographers being dedicated their

photographers being dedicated their lives to this but most this collection

lives to this but most this collection

lives to this but most this collection hasn’t been published it’s not like

hasn’t been published it’s not like

hasn’t been published it’s not like sitting at a monitor and typing in a

sitting at a monitor and typing in a

sitting at a monitor and typing in a keyword it’s not dry searching for

keyword it’s not dry searching for

keyword it’s not dry searching for pictures in the files and it just makes

pictures in the files and it just makes

pictures in the files and it just makes you think and reflect

that’s pretty creamy you can see the

that’s pretty creamy you can see the people crossing the bridge and stuff

people crossing the bridge and stuff

people crossing the bridge and stuff I guess you’d think you’d get tired of

I guess you’d think you’d get tired of

I guess you’d think you’d get tired of it after four or five years I’ve

it after four or five years I’ve

it after four or five years I’ve actually enjoyed it more each year when

actually enjoyed it more each year when

actually enjoyed it more each year when I see the same old pictures over and

I see the same old pictures over and

I see the same old pictures over and over I see more into it rather than

over I see more into it rather than

over I see more into it rather than getting tired of seeing it

getting tired of seeing it

getting tired of seeing it I see more beauty or more artistry it

I see more beauty or more artistry it

I see more beauty or more artistry it doesn’t get over that’s for sure