1982
These five friends took a photo together, sitting on a fence, that they had no idea would become a lifelong ritual. John Wardlaw, Mark Rumer, Dallas Burney, John Molony and John Dickson became friends in high school and would make super 8 movies together.
This photo of them sitting on a fence would be recreated many times. As they aged, they took the same photo every few years, mimicking their original poses and expressions. The results were pretty remarkable.
The first photo was snapped in 1982, during a 4th of July getaway at a summer cabin on Northern California’s Copco Lake. They were staying at a cabin owned by Wardlaw’s grandparents. The photo was Dickson’s idea, a spur of the moment thing that changed their lives forever.
1987
This photo of them sitting on a fence would be recreated many times. As they aged, they took the same photo every few years, mimicking their original poses and expressions. The results were pretty remarkable.
The first photo was snapped in 1982, during a 4th of July getaway at a summer cabin on Northern California’s Copco Lake. They were staying at a cabin owned by Wardlaw’s grandparents. The photo was Dickson’s idea, a spur of the moment thing that changed their lives forever.
1987
The five of them would go to the cabin every year, but didn’t start recreating the original photo until five years after it was taken. The original was enlarged and hung on Wardlaw’s wall.
The hairstyles definitely date the photo to the eighties. A couple of flat tops snuck into the frame, but other than that, they look pretty much the same as before.
But as they continued to take this same photo through the years, the changes got more dramatic. (Un)fortunately, the flat tops didn’t last.
1992
The hairstyles definitely date the photo to the eighties. A couple of flat tops snuck into the frame, but other than that, they look pretty much the same as before.
But as they continued to take this same photo through the years, the changes got more dramatic. (Un)fortunately, the flat tops didn’t last.
1992
In 1992, the friends again met up at the cabin to work on a movie together. This day was less sunny than the preceding ones, so they wore shirts. The shirts would stay on for the remainder of the photo series.
“Little did we know this would become a trend as we got older,” said Wardlaw in reference to the photo recreation. It was Wardlaw’s idea to continue the ritual of taking the same photo once every five years.
While the background and the poses stayed the same, the men in the photo changed.
“Little did we know this would become a trend as we got older,” said Wardlaw in reference to the photo recreation. It was Wardlaw’s idea to continue the ritual of taking the same photo once every five years.
While the background and the poses stayed the same, the men in the photo changed.
1997
As they transitioned into adulthood, the five men went in five very different career trajectories. Dickson is a webmaster, Molony is a wedding photographer, Rumer is an engineer, Burney teaches elementary school, and Wardlaw is still a filmmaker.
Unlike similar cases of a group of people taking the same photo at regular intervals, these guys only snap a pic at five-year intervals. Wardlaw calls it a “nice increment,” saying that it would be a pain to take the photo every year. Considering the fact that all five guys have to change their schedules to accommodate it, that makes sense.
Nowadays, the five aren’t as close as they once were. They’re still friends, but according to Wardlaw, they don’t get to see each other enough.
2002
Unlike similar cases of a group of people taking the same photo at regular intervals, these guys only snap a pic at five-year intervals. Wardlaw calls it a “nice increment,” saying that it would be a pain to take the photo every year. Considering the fact that all five guys have to change their schedules to accommodate it, that makes sense.
Nowadays, the five aren’t as close as they once were. They’re still friends, but according to Wardlaw, they don’t get to see each other enough.
2002
The 2002 photo is a bit different than the others. According to Wardlaw, it marked the moment when they started taking the photos seriously as a lifelong project.
They also made a greater effort to mimic the original photo as closely as possible. The details are, indeed, closer.
The physical differences start to become more obvious here, as well. Over the years, the five had fluctuating weight, different hairstyles and various tans.
2007
They also made a greater effort to mimic the original photo as closely as possible. The details are, indeed, closer.
The physical differences start to become more obvious here, as well. Over the years, the five had fluctuating weight, different hairstyles and various tans.
2007
Wardlaw: “It is a wonderful feeling when you have friends like this. Not just friends you know on Facebook or Twitter but real friends with history. And it really is fun to be able to look at all the photos and watch us age together and know that we’ll keep doing this as long as we possibly can, just to make sure we see each other and keep the friendship going.”
It must also be a nice excuse to go visit a beautiful place. While the changes in their appearances are incremental, they are definitely visible.
This is the only photo in the series in which the guys are wearing matching shirts. In fact, the shirts form a palindrome.
2012
It must also be a nice excuse to go visit a beautiful place. While the changes in their appearances are incremental, they are definitely visible.
This is the only photo in the series in which the guys are wearing matching shirts. In fact, the shirts form a palindrome.
2012
The most recent photo finds our heroes still friends and still committed to the project. 2012 was a unique trip, in that there were no family or friends joining them. Just the five of them.
We eagerly anticipate the next installment in the photo series, which is due out next year. We heard a rumor that it might be of five guys sitting on a fence, with one of them holding a jar.
It’s incredible to find a group of friends so tight that they can take the same photo every five years for thirty years. And, presumably, keep taking it for as long as they can.
We eagerly anticipate the next installment in the photo series, which is due out next year. We heard a rumor that it might be of five guys sitting on a fence, with one of them holding a jar.
It’s incredible to find a group of friends so tight that they can take the same photo every five years for thirty years. And, presumably, keep taking it for as long as they can.
