Hard to believe that as recently as 1999 the lack of ubiquitous camera-phones meant that images like this are rare / remarkable. You can see in the photo prope

Hard to believe that as recently as 1999 the lack of ubiquitous camera-phones meant that images like this are rare / remarkable. You can see in the photo properties several are taken with a Sony Cybershot - eg somebody had to have the forethought to drag out an actual, gasp, camera to document these events. In the context of this photo essay that means that many of the photos are either posed or around "events" where a camera would likely be welcome - IPO celebration, work parties, etc. So what's mostly missing here - and everybody's photo albums of that era - are much of the unexpected, the spontaneous, etc.