Collection: Learning the Ropes

From an early age, both boys and girls are often drawn to water -- to feed ducks, swim, play pirates, float in a boat, or just splash in puddles.

Conventional wisdom in the 20th century said that girls were less adventurous and action-oriented than boys. The photographs in this section contradict that stereotype, showing girls confidently sailing, fishing, and operating small engines. Many of these subjects were models, posing at boat shows or marinas for the Rosenfelds’ commercial work in the 1950s and 1960s. But photographs like these, widely seen in magazines and advertisements, may have inspired other girls to become active sailors and seek their own ocean-going adventures.