Jun 17, 2010

Happy Birthday father!

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José Morais de Sousa, Coimbra - April 1980

If my father was alive today, 17th of June, he would be 88 years old.

My mother reveals that he often declared that he wanted to live until he was 84. He was lucky, that's how old he got!

He was an army officer but, on occasion, he also served in Guarda Nacional Republicana. That's where I have pictured him, in his office in Coimbra, with my Leica.

So please allow me to pay him this little tribute and say "Happy Birthday father".

Evelise Morais de Sousa, Coimbra, 6 of April 1980.

Yes, that's my mother on her 48th birthday, holding a bouquet of roses.

In reality, both photographs were presumably shot on the same day, as my parents lived inside the base (for some years I lived there too, by then I was on vacation from Germany).
Time goes by...

Both photographs were shot with my (at that time) almost-new Leica M4-2 and Summicron 50mm, on Kodak Tri-X film, developed in Kodak D-76 1+1.
You should be acquainted with that camera from former posts on this blog. As it so happens, she keeps on going strong after all these years. A good friend of mine!

Funny: she keeps on being my youngest Leica!
Wish we could all be forever young...
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5 comments:

  1. Rui
    I love the way you process your images, do you ad a little colour to give extra dimension?
    Lovely photos (as normal) BTW I mentioned in a previous comment I might buy a Gandolfi— well not quite last week end I bought a Sinar F1 with 150 symmar and 75 Super angulon-fun ahead!
    Here's to the memory of your dad, I hope you are well.
    Mark

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  2. A little late, but I join you in saying Happy Birthday to your father, Rui. May I also add, that both your parents are very nice-looking. I love the pic of your mum - she looks not just beautiful, but elegant as well. I respect and admire your works - and if you can print a photobook of your best, I would like to purchase one for my own.

    :-) and on being young forever, Rui - I am always 28 in my mind - and my body and soul feels it!

    Best regards to you and yours, Rui.

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  3. Thank you very much Mark and Esther (the others too, although I don't understand a thing...),
    The words of you both are always kind and uplifting, you are really helpful and give me faith to continue with the blog.
    Times are getting tougher and tougher, professionaly/photographicaly speaking, and I can use a good dose of hope. Somehow, I will keep it all alive!
    Yes, Esther, beeing 28 WAS indeed nice, but it is also nice to be 55 (could be nicer...).
    Yes, a book with my "private" images, that would be interesting, why not? As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about it...
    Mark, I think that you made a very good decision buying a Sinar F. I find it to be the most versatile large format camera there ever was! (Is that good enough?). Mine must have made a million miles... I still used it yesterday. The Symmar and Super-Angulon won't let you down for sure. I have a 90mm SA from the 70's and keeps on being nice, although my 75mm from the 90's is even better. Great lenses! Hope that you can give them a lot of work!
    I am very glad that you both keep on beeing regular visitors. It would be nice if we could personnaly meet one day.
    Have fun, greetings,
    Rui

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  4. Lovely tribute to your parents Rui, very touching and wonderful photographs from your heart no doubt !

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  5. Caro Rui:
    Tive o grato prazer de ter conhecido os seus pais, ainda em Luanda, quando na altura eu era colega de sua irmã Ana Maria no banco Totta Standard.
    Doces e belos tempos, meu amigo.
    Cumprimentos,

    Amilcar Da Rocha Ramos

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