Chris Porsz, Street Photographer ~ Part 2 ~ The Reunions

Chris Porsz lives in Peterborough, located about 120 km north of London. Chris has worked as a paramedic for over 20 years and has had a passion for street photography ever since he started walking the streets of his town and capturing snapshots of everyday life in the eighties. Chris became locally known as ‘Paramedic Paparazzo’ when the Peterborough Evening Telegraph started publishing some of his work in 2009. This event led to a series of reunions and a local photo exhibit which you will discover in this post. Chris has provided a bio, excerpts of which I inserted between images. If you missed part 1, a link to the post is provided at the bottom of this page. Please feel free to leave a comment and subscribe to the blog if you wish to receive part III.

Thanks!  Valérie Jardin

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“My negatives and photographs gathered dust for nearly three decades until my interest was rekindled by chance in 2009.   I sent some grainy pictures of my city to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.  From that came a weekly slot called Paramedic Paparazzo where readers often wrote in and said ‘that was me thirty years ago!’ […] I realised it might be possible to find people. I felt it would be fascinating to see what they looked like now and what they made of their lives. A second bite of the cherry for me was to revisit some favourite images. I often said to people in my non-candid pictures that I would let them have a copy but never did. So here was a chance to say thank you and keep my promise.”

 

“Tony and Sally, the railway lovers, are now married with two children at university and both head teachers. Difficult to reshoot as the station was packed but there were a few seconds when it cleared. Tony nearly got carried away.”

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“It was wonderful to reunite the policeman and the boy and see they had both done well.  David became Chief  Inspector whose son is now a London policeman.   Tim, a working class boy, made good and now runs a successful coach company with six children of his own.”

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“The Vimto couple (name of the soda they are drinking while sitting on the bench) I found by a million to one. I was showing my calendar to a group of nurses, turned the page and one of them said ‘ that’s me!’ They are  now grandparents.”

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Michat, “Me Tarzan”,  was 56 in the original photo. He is now 86 pictured here with his wife Grace

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“The local shopping centre staged an exhibition for me.”

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“Now when I take pictures I am consciously thinking maybe in three decades we could do a rehoot as I will only be 88. Well, we all have to dream as it keeps you going…”

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Please leave a comment and share the link to this post if you enjoyed it!

If you missed Part 1, you can view the post by clicking here

You can connect with Chris Porsz (pictured below) on Facebook here: Connect with Chris

Follow him onTwitter @porszphotos

Chris’ work is also featured in http://www.peterboroughinpictures.co.uk/

 

Tags: Chris Porsz, Peterborough, street photography

• February 16, 2011
• Uncategorized
• 8 Comments