Welcome to The Photo Record!
Helsinki welcomes Emperor Alexander II of Russia (the Grand Duke of Finland) on July 28, 1863. The sign reads ‘Welcome’ and I welcome you to this website! Click image to enlarge.
I am ridiculously excited to welcome you to The Photo Record! Tervetuloa ystävät!
This website is the product of a personal project that has turned into a passion - one that I want to share with all of you. As a Finnish Canadian, these photos connect me to my recent past and every image I share creates a quiet thrill in my heart.
As I spend time with each photograph, studying its intimate details, I gain so much knowledge and insight into the country, the people, our shared history, the changing times and so much more. I will explore many of these topics further in future journal posts.
We begin with some of the oldest photos taken in Finland from 1850 onwards and travel through the years. We will visit other countries and meet many interesting people. We will see history unfold through the lens of a camera.
The goal is to share several posts per week. I look forward to hearing your comments and I hope you will share them with your friends and family. We can be found on most social media sites as well.
And finally, none of this would be possible without the hard work of all the folks at Finna.fi and its partner sites, including Museovirasto, who have taken the time to scan and upload most of the historical photos I will be sharing. I mean, what a task and an absolute treasure trove of not only photographs but historical material of all kinds. I encourage you to visit their sites.
Oh, and one last thing! The digital restoration work is done to the best of my ability. There may be a few mistakes. I appreciate your feedback but please be kind :) Enjoy!
