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Archival photo of an outfit made in Home Ec parading down Granville, 1968

From 1934 to 1979, street photographer Foncie Pulice set up his camera on Vancouver city sidewalks and snapped candid shots of people strolling by.

From 1934 to 1979, street photographer Foncie Pulice set up his camera on Vancouver city sidewalks and snapped candid shots of people strolling by. For almost half a century, he took thousands of photos, unwittingly capturing moments in time, the history of a city, and the lives of British Columbians.

Now documentary filmmaker Melanie Wood and British Columbia’s Knowledge Network are bringing these photographs together – collecting them from albums around the province and giving them a public home. Photo negatives of Foncie’s images do not exist. He destroyed most of them when he retired. Until now there was no central archive or collection.

Here are some thoughts from one of the subjects of this 1968 photo:

"I was sixteen, walking down Granville with my first love. I was so in love in that vulnerable way that has never experienced pain. Foncie caught me by surprise, as I was just about to laugh at the idea of a picture. Terrible of me, but beautiful of my friend. I am wearing an outfit I had made in Home Ec class just that year. It was lime green with pink pattern; colours back in style now in 2013."

This is a story about Vancouver, about British Columbia, and about it’s people... so they need your help. Visit Knowledge.ca/FonciesCorner to add your photos and stories to the collection.

We're sharing a couple of Foncie photos here on V.I.A. each week leading up to the premiere of the documentary film being released in the summer. Share your memories (or the ones you find in your parents' and grandparents' archives) and become a part of Vancouver’s history!