Reunions
Chris Porsz’s unique project has been over three decades in the making
In the early ’80s I wandered the streets and turned my camera on society. I found it quite magical, as still do now. Completely self-taught, I was inspired by the work of Bert Hardy and Bill Brandt in Picture Post, and Harold Evan’s seminal book
Pictures on a Page. Because I was busy with family and my
new career as a paramedic, I hardly picked a camera up for the following 25 years. My passion was rekindled in 2009 when the Peterborough
Evening Telegraph gave me a column Paramedic Paparazzo.
Incredibly, some readers recognized themselves, and so I began my mission to recreate the images. I had lots of setbacks with people
not replying, refusing or no longer friends. Others had moved away and some had sadly departed. Despite many failures, the successes drove me on. Having no contact details, I never dreamed I’d reunite 134 sets of people.
It was difficult fitting in my day job at the same time, and I once drove a 200-mile round trip to be told I had got the wrong person. I was really surprised by the national and international media attention and, rejected by publishers, it was a massive challenge to self-publish and distribute my book Reunions.
Street photography puts many off but I’m lucky as a big part of my job is gaining the trust of strangers. Being ready, thinking on your feet and responding quickly to the unexpected complements my street photography well. Amazingly, a couple of 999 calls led to reunions! I wanted to do the original images justice by faithfully recreating them, but that was often impossible, and if they were mediocre, I wanted to bring them up to date and alive.
It was fantastic to see old friends who had not seen each other for over three decades united again. It was often very emotional with some tears, hugs and kisses, and although these people were once strangers to me, some have become good friends. I would love to do a Reunions exhibition and I am now busy on a third book featuring my latest street work.