Tony Wilmot and his girlfriend Sally had no idea they were being photographed as they said goodbye in 1980. (Chris Porsz)
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in the case of British photographer Chris Porsz, that number is two-fold, as his photographic journey has been quite an adventure covering two very different sides of the same lives.
As a busy street photographer in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, he took thousands of pictures chronicling daily life in Britain - from punks and lovers to shop owners, school girls, and siblings. Fast forward some thirty-five to forty years later and Porsz decided to track down as many of the people captured in his images from that time to recreate the same image today. Whole lifetimes have passed, but over the course of the last few years, the dedicated Porsz managed to find hundreds of his former subjects. He arranged a meeting at the same location of the original photograph and took another photo.
The amazing project has since been documented in his latest photography book titled Reunions. Some of the images are cheeky and fun, with what looks like a truly heart-warming re-creation of events. Others are honest and poignant in another form - showing how time tests people and reveals our destinies in unexpected ways.
The unbelievable collection is a true labor of love, with mini interviews and anecdotes putting each one's personal story into context, and the generations that have come of age, the backdrops and trends, the signs and architecture make each picture a composition that serves not only as a momento for the subjects, but also as historic archives of the late 20th century in Britain.
1. DOG AND TINA (1985 AND 2015)
Punks Tina Tarr and her partner Dog left Peterborough the 1990s and went travelling. They have twins, but are no longer together. (Chris Porsz)
2. SISTERS (1980 AND 2013)
Shehnaz Begum, her twin sister Rukhsana and their older sister Itrat were spotted by Porsz sitting in the window of their house on Cromwell Road. The sisters still live in Peterborough and see each other regularly. (Chris Porsz)
3. DAVID HARVEY AND TIM GOODMAN (1980 AND 2010)
David Harvey eventually became Chief Superintendent but is now retired. Tim Goodman grew into a successful businessman and has six children. (Chris Porsz)
4. QUEUING FOR THE PHONE (1981 AND 2016)
School friends John Morris, Paul Barnard and Andrew Pollard (l to r) were photgraphed queuing up to use the phone in Cattle Market Road. Until the second picture was taken, they hadn't seen each other for 32 years. (Chris Porsz)
5. FIVE BOYS RUNNING (1987 AND 2016)
The five friends have lost touch over the years, but Porsz's project brought them back together. They've now organised a school reunion and plan to keep in touch. (Chris Porsz)
6. Pink Mohican (1985 And 2016)
Punk Badger Farcue took part in a Pizza Eating Competition (which he won) when the above picture was snapped. (Chris Porsz)
7. METAL MICKEY (1980 AND 2016)
In the 1980s, Steve Osborn was known as Metal Mickey after he broke his legs in a motorcycle accident and had plates and bolts put in them. He is now married with four children and has raised more than £20,000 for the National Association of Bikers with a Disability. (Chris Porsz)
