2020 has brought many dramatic challenges for all of us amid this global pandemic. Physical Distancing or Social Distancing has become mandatory to help slow and then halt the growth of the virus. Being a photographer it goes against the freedom we usually have to attend events, meet people, go anywhere outside, visit buildings or travel.
My father was a strong photographer influence in my life. He spent all of our trips and daily life photographing our lives. He was a fan of cameras and acquired quite a few in his life. The early ones from his Rolleiflex to his Yashica or Minolta and even a collection of Polaroid cameras. He shot everything on film, of course, but also loved slide film. He loved having evening slide shows where showing photos on a bigger screen seemed State-Of-The-Art!
Over the years his developed slides have been forgotten and filed away as a project to restore at a later time. However my imposed quarantine gave me the inspiration to restore some of these photos. The technology we have also helps more than in previous times.
The following are a few photos that I have restored to the best I can without spending even more time and resources.
They are snapshots of my family history but also history in general of the places we travelled. I was able to take a number of photos with his camera as I learned my skills and observe the photography he was doing at the same time. These photos are not anywhere near the quality we get today even with a smartphone. Also these are scans of printed slides not from the original negatives (long ago disintegrated and faded due to improper storage).
The project overall was interesting but also enlightening.
Victoria Glacier and Lake Louise in Alberta, early1970's.
Panama Canal, canal boat view, late 1960's
Mykonos in the Greek Islands, 1982
Mont Saint Michel in Northern France. Mid 1970's
Piazza San Pietro in Vatican City, Rome, Italy, 1979.
Santorini in the Greek Islands, 1982
Athens, Greece in 1978
Horse farm, North Island, New Zealand 1965 (My brother in the middle of 2 cousins on horseback)