Strangers in a frame: Who’s in these street scenes from 1970s Asia?
Yokosuka, Japan (1972): While stationed in Yokosuka, Japan during the Vietnam War, Stephen Sealy traveled around the region taking photos of hundreds of people. He's now sharing the fascinating old photographs on his Instagram feed, @my_pacific_70s, in the hope of finding the strangers they depict. "This was New Year's Day at a hilltop temple in Yokosuka," says Sealy. "A lot of people were in festive clothing and in a festive mood."
Stephen Sealy
Hong Kong (1971): "I knew I liked this shot when I took it," he says. "It was in Statue Square, but I don't remember whether it was during a festival event or a quiet time when I was waiting to meet Linna, my future wife."
Stephen Sealy
Kaohsiung, Taiwan (1971): "The kids saw me with a camera and decided to pose," says Sealy.
Stephen Sealy
Kamakura, Japan (1971): "This was a cool day," recalls Sealy. "I remember thinking that the boy in shorts was underdressed."
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan (1970): "I may have startled the woman in the bakery," he says. "I wasn't very quick about taking pictures. But I think she was busy with something else while I was fiddling with the exposure, and I took the picture just as she looked up. The scene of the woman getting on the bus was at the road in front of the naval base. It appeared to be some kind of special bus, maybe for people who worked on the base."
Stephen Sealy
Hong Kong (1971): "I think I took this picture from my ship using a 200 mm lens. At the time, I thought it no more meaningful than a postcard, but I've changed my mind."
Stephen Sealy
Hong Kong (1971): "I was focusing on the tram, and got a little lucky in capturing the context," says Sealy, who feels photography made his experience in Asia more meaningful.
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan, New Year's day (1972): "This was New Year's Day at a hilltop temple in Yokosuka. It was near the end of my stay in Japan, and I was very happy to get pictures of people dressed up for the holiday."
Stephen Sealy
Festival of Hong Kong event(1971): Know who any of these strangers might be? Email Stephen Sealy at my.pacific.70s@gmail.com.
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan (1971): "This was at a playground near the naval base in Yokosuka," says Sealy. "I think the girl on the right may have been showing off for the camera."
Stephen Sealy
Left: Yokosuka, Japan (1970): "The three ladies who are dressed up appeared to be waiting for a ride." Right: Ofuna, Japan (1971): "The lady waiting to cross the street was in Ofuna. I liked the way she was standing."
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan (1970): Sealy's fascination with street photography began after he purchased a secondhand camera from a fellow sailor. "I think I took this within the first week or two of having the camera," he says. "It was beginner's luck, because it's one of my favorites."
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan (1970): "I met this couple on a quiet street when I was on one of my long walks in Yokosuka."
Stephen Sealy
Left: Taipei, Taiwan (1975): "The girl was waiting in line to get some watermelon or fruit juice from a street vendor. This was in 1975 when I was a student in Taipei." Right: Kaohsiung, Taiwan (1971): "The guy posed with his neat motorcycle. The first person to like this picture on Instagram was a motorcycle/car enthusiast."
Stephen Sealy
Ofuna, Japan (1971): "This was at the Flower Center. I think I watched these ladies come in together, then took the picture after they sat down."
Stephen Sealy
Self-portrait: "This was in a factory dorm in Ofuna, Japan. My shipmate Spencer Doffing and I had met a two girls at the flower center a few days earlier, and we were there to see them for a date. Those two girls stood us up, but the office staff took pity and fed us lunch. It was my first experience with sushi."
Stephen Sealy
Yokosuka, Japan (1970): "I have few pictures from this informal baseball game in Yokosuka. I was just learning to take action pictures. The boys on the right were having a little fun with me. I was not in uniform, but they could tell that I was a sailor."