A unique photography exhibition opening this week at Orkney Museum is bringing the wartime past of the islands into sharp focus by recreating historic World War Two images using original 1940s cameras.
‘Recreating the Past Today’ showcases the work of the NHS Orkney Photo Group, who set out to faithfully reproduce wartime photographs taken across Orkney using the same types of cameras once carried by war photographers such as Lee Miller, Tony Vaccaro and George Roger.
The project began with a simple request to recreate a single VE Day parade image from Kirkwall.
It quickly grew into something much bigger.
After researching original images at Orkney Library and Archive and Scapa Flow Museum, the group identified a range of wartime scenes that could be recreated on location across the isles, from Hatston and HMS Tern to Houton, Hoy, Flotta and the Churchill Barriers.
Authenticity was at the heart of the project.
Rather than relying on modern digital cameras, members sourced period equipment including a Rolleiflex twin lens reflex, an Argus C3 rangefinder and a Leica III.
The photographs were shot on film using a Leica lens dating back to 1933 and developed by the group themselves.
For many involved, it was their first experience working with film and traditional light meters.
The exhibition features ten paired displays showing the original wartime photographs alongside their modern recreations, allowing visitors to see the passage of time while recognising how much of Orkney’s landscape endures.
A rolling video documents the project’s journey across the islands.
There will also be around twenty wartime cameras on display, original darkroom equipment including a 1930s enlarger, and a collection of Navy, RAF and Army uniforms.
Period transport, including a motorbike and pedal cycle, adds further depth to the experience.
The group received support from Finn and Ruan Lyon, who provided authentic uniforms for the portrait recreations.
The exhibition is both a tribute to the photographers who documented Orkney during the Second World War and to the service personnel stationed on the islands during those pivotal years.
‘Recreating the Past Today’ runs from 7 March until 11 April at Orkney Museum.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 5pm, closing between 12:30pm and 1:30pm for lunch.
