You should click on any of the pictures if you want to see them up close.
I scanned them at a pretty high resolution so you can see some good detail. The photos themselves are not of great quality, though, so they may look a little grainy.
Just so you know...
About the Metadata
The specific information about these photographs was provided by my mother, who also took the pictures. The photo descriptions in italics are her words.
My mother indicated that the Swinger camera was a bit of a hassle to use:"... once you got the shot you had to wait until it emerged from the camera and then you had to treat it with this chemical (it came in some sort of plastic tube with a wet sponge-thing inside) and wait for it to dry. So, if the quality of the photo suffers it may be because I wasn’t willing to wait."
The camera didn't hold up too long, either, which is why all of the pictures are from the same year-- 1966.
"I also lost interest because it was somewhat of a pain in the neck to treat each photo with that awful smelling chemical and then wait for it to dry. (You also had to keep it out of the sun while it was being treated and since I took most of my photos outdoors….well)"
Meet the Swinger!
This commercial (featuring Ali McGraw!) shows the Swinger Polaroid Camera used to take these photos.
More information on the Swinger, from Wikipedia.
Meet the Photographer!
Year: 1966
Location: Dumont, NJ
"I am thinking this is my graduation from Saint Mary’s Grammar School in 1966. I am thirteen. The only other time I would be this dressed up would be for the May Procession. May being the month dedicated to Mary, the Blessed Mother, and of course being parishioners of St. Mary’s School, a special devotional ceremony was held at church and a wreath of flowers was placed on the statue of Mary by one of the 8th grade girls. As you can see, I mastered Patty Duke’s flip for this particular event."
Manhattan Terrace
Year: 1966
Location: Dumont, NJ
Clockwise from top left: Mama (Catherine), Papa (Jim), Debra, Jack, Jimmy
"The charm bracelet was a gift from my grandmother and each charm depicted an event in my life….confirmation, communion, birthstone, graduation and a miraculous medal that my mother wore herself. She still wears one today. I can’t believe my legs were ever that long and thin."
"Nana Tully in front of one of the birch trees. There were two birch trees in front of our house then... Nana is very relaxed in her pose. Unlike her, but wanting to please me, the photographer. It was not like her to willingly pose for pictures. She has her hand on her hip the way you might see people of her generation posing when they were younger (flappers)... She always dressed this way. I never, ever saw her in a pair of pants."
Vacation at Highland Lakes
Year: 1966
Location: Highland Lakes, NJ
From left to right: Kathleen, Valerie, Jack, Jimmy, Janet, Debra.
"We went for several years to Highland Lakes for vacation. This was the last house we rented there. This house was set back in the woods. There was a wood burning stove. I was amazed that my Swinger camera actually flashed enough to get this picture in the dark. It was very dark and very buggy."
Left to right: Valerie, Jimmy, Jack, Papa, Debra.
Patti
"The Younghans were another large, Irish, Catholic family and very close friends of my parents from the “old neighborhood.” This picture is taken at Highland Lakes on that last vacation and the plan was for the Younghans to spend the night with us. The lake house had a loft with dormitory style beds. I am holding a baby but it is one of the Younghans’ children as my youngest brother was not born until 1968. (That’s Debra holding a struggling Patti in the back row) Although there are fourteen children in this picture, I don’t see my brother Jimmy so there are some missing. Just two families with that many children! (p.s. I loved that two piece bathing suit. It was black with white daisies)"
Kiddie Pool
Date: 1966
Location: Dumont, NJ
"Patti and Janet in our back yard on Manhattan Terrace. They must be four and two." 
Pool Party
Date: 1966
Location: Dumont, NJ
"This group of my parents' friends (their best friends and the people they hung out with the most while I was growing up) my father met at St. Mary’s. All of these men were in the Men’s Choir and also belonged to the Knights of Columbus. We socialized often as families. "
"At some point during the party, children and adults would make a whirlpool in the pool by all swimming in the same direction until some adult determined that the pool was about to cave in; a child was missing; or, he needed to get out and get another beer."
Fairy Tale Forest
Year: 1966
Location: Oak Ridge, NJ
"This quirky park featured shaded, wooded area with pathways that lead you to miniature cottages. Each cottage depicted a fairy tale as you peered into the window (including some taxidermied animals!) It was creepy."
More pics of Fairy Tale Forest
These pictures are fantastic, and were taken in January of this year.
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