Like fathers, like sons (sort of a Thanksgiving tale)

T

Terao

Kiloran
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Bear with me on this...

Its safe to say that my interest in photography was directly kindled by my Dad's love for it and the amazing (to me) photos he'd taken when he was working for P&O Cruises in the 60s using his Agfa Ambi Silette. As a result, if I go to places where he's taken a photo I try to find the same spot, but that's not really the point of this post.

53 years ago he was a plumber on the final sailing of the Strathnaver taking immigrants to Australia - back then Australia's borders were open and you could go there for the princely sum of £10. He took a number of lovely shots with the Ambi Silette on glorious Kodachrome - and of course they still look spectacular today.

Also on that ship was a migrant from Sri Lanka, also using an Ambi Silette.

I've used Dad's camera a few times and loved it until it got beyond repair so I started to look at building an adapter for the lenses - my thinking being with the digital RF/EVF camera revolution I might be able to use them on a new format. They're nothing special optically but well built - and as they captured my early life very dear to me. I started to get an understanding of how the mount worked, and a few other technical details and stuck these on Flickr here

I then mostly forgot about it, my photography moved on, and other interests grabbed my time.

However, thanks to the power of internet search my Flickr set was noticed by someone with the necessary engineering skills to figure out how to build an M-Mount adapter for the lens - even if it is a little "Heath Robinson". He pinged me a message on Flickr to let me know of his success and I immediately ordered one. We got chatting and I naturally wanted to show off my Dad's photos - particularly as I noticed he was in Australia.

Then it got interesting...

His father in law had emigrated to Australia from Sri Lanka in the 60s.

A bit of digging established it was on the Strathnaver

And a bit more digging established it was the final voyage of the Strathnaver, the one my father also travelled on as crew.

So, through the power of the internet and the romance of photography a connection is made from one side of the world to the other, across two generations. In these tough times there's something very beautiful about that.

Happy Thanksgiving to all those on that side of the Pond, and never forget that photography is about family, emotion, history, and connecting people...
 
No matter of luck!

No matter of luck!

I believe we travel in a sort of circle in life, circles interweaving with others.. So at some point a "Coincidence" occurs!
Please lets see some of those Kodachrome and your shots with said lens!
A really nice tale.
 
That is a great story. Odd how things come together like that. Have you ever tired to get another Ambi Silette? You should be able to find one in good nick for a decent price.

PF

ps: Your Dad took some good photos.
 
Great story ! How it turns that in youth we straggle to differ from our parents just to discover we walk their ways :)
 
farlymac said:
That is a great story. Odd how things come together like that. Have you ever tired to get another Ambi Silette? You should be able to find one in good nick for a decent price.

PF

ps: Your Dad took some good photos.
Click to expand...

I have a couple of other Ambis which came with the lenses as I was collecting the complete set (even have the 130mm f/4 which is scary sharp, even on digital)

But for me I would like to be using his camera and his lens, ideally on Koda or Agfachrome so I don't see much point in using another body. The digital adventure is interesting but his lens doesn't appear to have stood the test of time - sadly a lot of haze. In comparison the 35mm and 90mm lenses are pretty good - and of course you have the crop sensor issue on digital which makes the 50 a less usable option.
 
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