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About a year ago I found an envelope with my handwriting on the the outside: "On May 15th, 2007 at 11:05PM find a photobooth and take a full rotation of your head. Don't open until you have the picture." I vaguely remembered creating this little time capsule (I do this from time to time), so I kept the envelope sealed until tonight... found a photobooth as directed and took the set of pictures.

These are the results. The similarity of the final frame sort of creeps me out.

The date on the back of the first picture was May 15th, 1986 11:05PM. I was 19 years old.

Perhaps I'll put the two of these in an envelope to be opened 2027...

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Comments

notraces says:

Well -- unlike me -- at least you managed to keep your hair!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

myla kent says:

gorgeous work as always.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

[kren] says:

It's both scary and funny to receive directions from a younger you. But why 21 years?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

themexican says:

I don't remember but I think the idea was to do one at 40...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Noah Kalina says:

wow that's great.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Red- says:

nice.
those look like old school gangster mugs by the way.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

mollusk says:

fantastic.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

overshadowed says:

That's amazing man, truly amazing.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

caminante ahora says:

splendid idea with a great result!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Wrought says:

Amazing.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

rion says:

man i wish i hadn't smiled in all my old photobooth shots.
awesome, as always.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Alain Astruc says:

Awesome!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

El Fotopakismo says:

simply WOOOW!

I'm 27 so it's not too late to do the same, maybe I'll keep the envelope closed until 40 or something

(but in my case I'm sure I'll forget about the envelope in about a month or so)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

bitrot says:

Great idea! I wish the past me had had ideas like that rather than wasting all his time on computer games. :-)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Lenatxu says:

wow... the final frame similarity IS creepy, indeed
same face expression...
it does seem like you grew a little, though?
is this actually possible???
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel N says:

I too turned 40 this year. I remember being 19 and going off to enlist in the Marine Corps like it was just a few years ago. When I look at your pictures it looks like 21 years has past, but I'm sure that you feel the same.

What I like about these pictures is that the Raul on the left looks so young and earnest. The Raul on the right looks like he might be indulging the young Raul, like you're doing it for him.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

markwithnohair says:

Do you remember why you were wearing the tie? Very nice time capsule.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

themexican says:

No idea why I was wearing the tie at 11:00 at night, maybe it's what I thought i would be wearing at 40...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

jakedobkin says:

dude, it looks like you've gotten a lot taller! well done.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

*Ann Gordon says:

Totally cool! Thanks for sharing.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Soft Verges says:

Fab!...this could be the setting for another great Paul Auster novel! and I would reccommend 'True Tales of American Life' (edited by P. Auster in association with NPR's National Storey Project in 1999)...it will be interesting to see how we will view this work in 2027!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Kalloosh says:

The real question is will you still be able to find a working photo booth in 2027...? (and not the digital sticker kind...)

This is fabulous in every respect.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

+psv says:

fabulous project and great follow-through!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

luculent says:

Wow - what an ingenious little project!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

migrant says:

unbelievable
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

auraldelmoral says:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am without words.

L
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Vidalia says:

that's like when future Dwight sends present Dwight faxes....
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

mjulius says:

Wow.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

dirigibleballoons says:

this is a big bit of treasure.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

tina n. says:

i love it (:
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

JadeMonkee says:

That is the coolest idea ever. Well, one of them. I want to do that.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Hryck. says:

Can't wait to see what happens in 15 years.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

cornershots says:

No amount of technology will ever replace creativity and a little bit of patience. awesome.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

jaqian says:

Great idea. Very inspiring :)
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Chris Weisberg says:

Wow! This is great.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

alan fangor says:

It's interesting that in the last two shots at the bottom of the film strip you remembered to keep your eyes closed, just as you did in 1986. You never opened the envelope before you went to take the new portraits so there was no visual indicator for you to do this and you did it anyway. Creates a nice symmetry.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Sally J. says:

This is incredible. Wow!
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

latinferret says:

That was COOL :)
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Andreia.Ribeiro [deleted] says:

Great idea! The similarity between the two makes it even more interesting.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Tudy says:

OMG. I DO NOT want to do that to myself. LOL but im glad you had fun doing it
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

cromacom says:

We are such stuff...

--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

p-d says:

Indeed, this is amazing. I'm glad this little time capsule worked out for you.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

♪ maybe a mezzo ♪ says:

That's beautiful
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

dsul3930 says:

I think Daniel N summed it up nicely
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Chris Weisberg says:

Alan fangor- I bet he didn't remember to keep his eyes closed. I think that's just his brain doing the same thing, built-in. That's what's so amazing about this to me.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

pixietart says:

very similar hair cuts! ;)
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Fanis says:

wow, this is too cool!
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

latterbarrow says:

lucky chap, you've kept hold of your hair!
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

evilcabeza says:

this is a great idea. i'm going to have to try this.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

marinkel says:

love the idea and the outcome is perplexing. something from a paul auster novel. better, really.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Soulfull says:

Absolutely amazing! Great idea too! Gonna have to try this.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Ayoumali says:

fabulous! I'm amazed you even remembered you had a time capsule.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

svanes says:

very cool. how wise you were back at 19.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Latente 囧 www.latente.it says:

amazing
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Sam.Seyffert says:

Thank you, that was very nice! The effects of time continue to be fascinating, and there is no better way of showing them!
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

sharwest says:

whoa. this is seriously amazing...
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

Villa Sams says:

That's awesome. So cool that you thought to do that at 19.
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

IMISSMYJUNO says:

Superb idea and result. I'm thinking of doing the same, except I'm not sure film will still be around 20 years from now. Perhaps I should include a roll of film in the envelope, or a pack of polaroids.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

miebrinkmann says:

love the time-frame thing(!).
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

skinskalee says:

I love your photo's and the whole concept. I'm impressed you had the forethought to do this at 19. Brings to mind John Prine's ability to write "Angel from Montgomery" at the same tender age. A song with the depth and insight of a much older man.

My big question though is.....where did you find the same old fashioned photo booth. All the booths I see now are modern, with a totally different outcome. The only old ones I've seen are refurbished ones they rent out now for parties and weddings. I just love old photo booth pictures.
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

The.only.living.girl.in.sweden says:

Fantastic idea! Going down in the notebook...
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

♥ Esther ♥ says:

This is a wonderful project. Amazing! I'm curious as to where you kept that envelope all these years and...how did you remember to find it in time?
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

themexican says:

I have a small file cabinet full of journals and diaries and stuff. In the back I have a bunch of dated envelopes to myself... I check them every now and then... The next one I have coming up is for July 4th, 2008. I wrote it in 1978. I have no idea what is inside. The most recent one I put in there was dated to be opened 2038. I put in a bunch of pictures of myself with my kids and letters to them as well as exact instructions on where to recreate the photos.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

nadej_baptiste says:

Amazing idea
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Hryck. says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called STRONGBOX Magazine, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

olga s says:

Amazing!!!

Seen in Photo Booth! Gallery
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Comments

notraces says:

myla kent says:

[kren] says:

themexican says:

Noah Kalina says:

Red- says:

mollusk says:

overshadowed says:

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Wrought says:

rion says:

Alain Astruc says:

El Fotopakismo says:

bitrot says:

Lenatxu says:

Daniel N says:

markwithnohair says:

themexican says:

jakedobkin says:

*Ann Gordon says:

Soft Verges says:

Kalloosh says:

+psv says:

luculent says:

migrant says:

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mjulius says:

dirigibleballoons says:

tina n. says:

JadeMonkee says:

Hryck. says:

cornershots says:

jaqian says:

Chris Weisberg says:

alan fangor says:

Sally J. says:

latinferret says:

Andreia.Ribeiro [deleted] says:

Tudy says:

cromacom says:

p-d says:

♪ maybe a mezzo ♪ says:

dsul3930 says:

Chris Weisberg says:

pixietart says:

Fanis says:

latterbarrow says:

evilcabeza says:

marinkel says:

Soulfull says:

Ayoumali says:

svanes says:

Latente 囧 www.latente.it says:

Sam.Seyffert says:

sharwest says:

Villa Sams says:

IMISSMYJUNO says:

miebrinkmann says:

skinskalee says:

The.only.living.girl.in.sweden says:

♥ Esther ♥ says:

themexican says:

nadej_baptiste says:

Hryck. says:

olga s says:

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