Taking The Same Photo For 30 Years Pays Off With Internet Fame For Five California Friends
Want to be internet famous? The first thing you have to do is travel back to 1982. Then gather up five friends at Copco Lake and take a picture. Make sure that you remember your pose because you’re going to have to recreate the same photo for the next 30 years.
John Wardlaw, John Dickson, Mark Rumer, Dallas Burney, and John Molony became internet sensations this week when their photography tradition went viral.
The first photograph in the series was taken while the five friends were in high school in July 1982.
Wardlaw said: ”Priorities were so different back then. All I was really thinking about was summer and girls.”
The five teenagers decided to take a group photo. Three of them are shirtless and one, Molony, is holding a Folgers Instant Coffee Jar.
The five friends kept in touch through college and always returned to Copco lake in the summer for a vacation. In 1987, Wardlaw suggested that they recreate the photo they took five years ago.
Wardlaw said:
“I think I had a feeling this might become some cool tradition, but I had no idea we would still be doing it for 30 years.”
But it did. Wardlaw and his four buddies have been taking the same photo every five years for the last 30 years. And they have no intention of stopping. They even started a website dedicated their photography tradition.
Dickson writes on the website:
“Watch us lose hair and gain forehead, gain and lose and gain and lose weight … There are reasons we all decided it was better to take the photo with our shirts on … We plan on doing this for the rest of our lives, no matter what. Up until there’s one guy just sitting in the same pose! Even then, maybe someone will take a picture of an empty bench for us.”
Here’s a look at all 7 photos from the series.
1982 – Original
1987
1992
1997
2002
2007
2012
Do you like the idea of taking the same photo for 30 years?
The five friends said that, in addition to their internet fame, the photo has also gone a long way to making sure that they all stay in touch.
Dickson said: “Without this photo, there’s no way we’d be together.”
Tags : photo recreation, photo series, photo tradition, recreate photo, same photo, same photo for 30 years, take the same photo
Posted: November 7, 2012
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Nov 7, 2012
my buddy's sister makes $89 hourly on the computer. She has been out of a job for six months but last month her pay was $20225 just working on the computer for a few hours. Go to this web site and read more"""""http://Key16.com""""".
Nov 7, 2012
The guy at the far right aged 20 years between 2007 and 2012. WTF?
Nov 7, 2012
check out the dude 2nd from left thru the years, I think its 2 different guys.
Nov 7, 2012
Probably finally caught up to him. He looks relatively younger than the others all throughout, at least to me.
Nov 8, 2012
sometimes people grow things called beards and get new hair styles
Nov 8, 2012
All of these guys age very badly. But then 30 years is a very long time.
Nov 8, 2012
How come they look younger in 2007 than in 2002? Maybe these pictures need to be switched? Cool idea though! Its rare to stay in contact with just one friend for 30 years!
Nov 8, 2012
I saw this on reddit weeks ago….
Nov 8, 2012
Dang fellas! I'm really liking the 1987 picture! However, I like the 2012 also- because your friendship lives on!
Nov 8, 2012
so great. it is very memorable that friends became older with you. Older men dating younger women, or older women dating younger men. ==Ageloves.C0M==, It has gained popularity among men and women who enjoy energy and security. It has 11 years history and it is a serious and safe dating site. They verify all members. NO scammers or fake profiles here. Every day there are 5500000 active and identified members. You can find local easily. I like to share it. Hope everyone will soon find their life mate.
Nov 8, 2012
Those last 5 years were NOT kind.
Nov 8, 2012
2012 Jar-guy looks like Agent Hotchner from Criminal Minds.
Nov 8, 2012
Actually, the 2002 and 2007 pics were swapped.. you'll notice it right away when you look at them again.
Nov 8, 2012
I have been friends with a girl since I ww were 4 yo. WE are still friends, we're in our late forties- it has stood the test of time. These guys are lucky to have each other…even if its just for a weekend, once a year. I agree with some…the last 5 yrs have aged some 2007-2012…but, its still a blessing.
Nov 8, 2012
This is awesome! Love it. Continue to stay in touch gentleman..You all look great…
Nov 8, 2012
I think this is so cool! There's nothing like good friends.
Nov 8, 2012
yeah i noticed that, he changes so much in between those years
Nov 8, 2012
in 2007 he decided he missed his 1987 look