The man in the plaid shirt turns toward the group as everyone shares a laugh.
1951 · California, United States
Still image · $49
This small preview is for browsing. Your licensed download is the full 4K image.
4K archival still image
Friends gather at a railing above the surf while a man in a printed shirt smiles toward the camera — California, 1951
$49 USD Full 4K image license
You’re licensing the 4K image3,840 × 2,160 pixels · JPEG
Extracted from the film scan master, not enlarged from the 256px preview.
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- 455 × 256 pixels
- Catalog year
- 1951
- Location
- California, United States
- Image
- Still 1 · 1.57s into the source clip
- License
- Editorial only
Editorial use only: documentary, news, educational, internal and organic social use. Not permitted in advertising, sponsored or branded content, broadcast promotion or any paid commercial placement.
One full-resolution still image is included. The source video is licensed separately.
Read the licensing guideAbout this image
Four young adults at a seaside railing above crashing surf, probably on the California coast, circa 1951.
The source is catalogued as 8mm home movie. This frame appears 1.57 seconds into the clip. Watch the source footage below to see the surrounding action.
Browsing preview455 × 256pixels · shown above
Licensed 4K image3840 × 2160pixels · JPEG download
About 71× as many pixels as the web preview. The master retains the original film’s grain, texture and condition.
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Other frames from this clip
A woman in a dark top and a man in plaid trade a laugh at the rail with surf behind them.
1951 · California, United States
Still image · $49
A woman in a striped top joins the group as they laugh together above the breaking waves.
1951 · California, United States
Still image · $49
Source footage and archive context
California-1951: Young Men and Women Laughing at a Railing Above Crashing Surf
Watch the movement and surrounding scene in the source clip, or license the video separately.
Source format: 8mm home movie.
Browse the collection: 1950s collection.
Date documentation · estimated
Catalog estimate based on source metadata and visual or technical evidence; no reel-level note is linked.
Location documentation · estimated
Catalog estimate based on source metadata and visual evidence such as signage, landmarks, or terrain; no reel-level note is linked.
Period detail
High-waisted pleated trousers, a plaid flannel-style shirt, a printed knit shirt with a ribbed waistband and pinned-up women's hair may show typical casual dress around circa 1951.
Film character
Handheld 8mm colour with soft focus, visible grain and a pronounced violet cast gives the scene a dreamy mid-century texture.
Historical context
The scene shows how young people dressed and gathered informally at a public seaside overlook during the early postwar years.
Research note
The film copyright and the likeness rights of the identifiable people are separate questions; the people are unnamed and their ages are not known, so publicity and model consent should be considered for commercial use.
Image licensing questions
What resolution will I download?
Your license includes the 3840 × 2160-pixel JPEG in full 4K resolution. The 455 × 256-pixel image on this page is a browsing preview. The licensed image is extracted from the scan master, not enlarged from the preview.
What does the $49 still-image license include?
It covers this one still image. This image is editorial only; commercial advertising and paid placements are not permitted. Choose the usage, territory and term at checkout. The source video is licensed separately.
Can I see the footage this image came from?
Yes. The source clip is “California-1951: Young Men and Women Laughing at a Railing Above Crashing Surf”. Its page includes the video preview and the archive’s source and licensing information.