<strong>Grandpa's photos - the Peak, Hong Kong -- 1960s:</strong> Dave Tomkins' grandfather Stephen Clarke traveled the world in the 1960s, photographing sights and scenes from his travels -- including the Peak in Hong Kong, pictured.
Grandpa's photos - the Peak, Hong Kong -- 1960s: Dave Tomkins' grandfather Stephen Clarke traveled the world in the 1960s, photographing sights and scenes from his travels -- including the Peak in Hong Kong, pictured.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos - the Peak, Hong Kong -- present day:</strong> Tomkins stumbled across Clarke's travel photos in 2009 -- he was clearing out his grandfather's house following Clarke's move to a nursing home.
Grandpa's photos - the Peak, Hong Kong -- present day: Tomkins stumbled across Clarke's travel photos in 2009 -- he was clearing out his grandfather's house following Clarke's move to a nursing home.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Top of the Empire State, New York, USA -- 1960s:</strong> Inspired, Tomkins decided to investigate the stories behind the photos.
Grandpa's photos -- Top of the Empire State, New York, USA -- 1960s: Inspired, Tomkins decided to investigate the stories behind the photos.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Top of the Empire State, New York, USA -- present day:</strong> He scanned in the slides and showed his grandfather, but Clarke didn't remember where the photographs were taken.
Grandpa's photos -- Top of the Empire State, New York, USA -- present day: He scanned in the slides and showed his grandfather, but Clarke didn't remember where the photographs were taken.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Tejo River, Lisbon, Portugal -- 1960s:</strong> Tomkins remained struck by the variety of places his grandfather seemed to have visited.
Grandpa's photos -- Tejo River, Lisbon, Portugal -- 1960s: Tomkins remained struck by the variety of places his grandfather seemed to have visited.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Tejo River, Lisbon, Portugal -- present day:</strong> He was also surprised by the quality of the images and their careful composition.
Grandpa's photos -- Tejo River, Lisbon, Portugal -- present day: He was also surprised by the quality of the images and their careful composition.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpas photos -- Kowloon bus station, Hong Kong -- 1960s:</strong> In 2014, Tomkins started a website<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.grandpas-photos.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank"> Grandpa's Photos</a>, harnessing the worldwide online community to pinpoint the locations in each image.
Grandpas photos -- Kowloon bus station, Hong Kong -- 1960s: In 2014, Tomkins started a website Grandpa's Photos, harnessing the worldwide online community to pinpoint the locations in each image.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpas photos -- Kowloon bus station, Hong Kong -- present day: </strong>He scanned in 50 of the slides and asked people to help track down the location.
Grandpas photos -- Kowloon bus station, Hong Kong -- present day: He scanned in 50 of the slides and asked people to help track down the location.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney Australia -- 1960s: </strong>The idea stemmed from Australian Tomkins ability to recognize Sydney Harbour, pictured here.
Grandpa's photos -- Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney Australia -- 1960s: The idea stemmed from Australian Tomkins ability to recognize Sydney Harbour, pictured here.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney Australia -- present day:</strong> "It made me realize that all I have to do is get these photos in front of as many people as I can and someone is going to know where they are," Tomkins said.
Grandpa's photos -- Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Sydney Australia -- present day: "It made me realize that all I have to do is get these photos in front of as many people as I can and someone is going to know where they are," Tomkins said.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Romano's, Burrano, Italy -- 1960s:</strong> The project became a way for Tomkins to connect with his grandfather, pictured center, and celebrate his life and legacy-- particularly after he passed away in 2013.
Grandpa's photos -- Romano's, Burrano, Italy -- 1960s: The project became a way for Tomkins to connect with his grandfather, pictured center, and celebrate his life and legacy-- particularly after he passed away in 2013.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Romano's, Burrano, Italy -- present day:</strong> Clarke, pictured center recreating the Italian restaurant scene, says people have responded to the familial message at the heart of the project: "Anyone can relate to it I think."
Grandpa's photos -- Romano's, Burrano, Italy -- present day: Clarke, pictured center recreating the Italian restaurant scene, says people have responded to the familial message at the heart of the project: "Anyone can relate to it I think."
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Aare River, Olten, Switzerland - 1960s:</strong> Following the huge response, Tomkins began retracing his grandfather's footsteps and retaking the photos.
Grandpa's photos -- Aare River, Olten, Switzerland - 1960s: Following the huge response, Tomkins began retracing his grandfather's footsteps and retaking the photos.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Aare River, Olten, Switzerland -- present day:</strong> Seeing scenes move from photograph to reality is always special for Tomkins. "Walking into this scene that you've been staring at for five years is just amazing," he says.
Grandpa's photos -- Aare River, Olten, Switzerland -- present day: Seeing scenes move from photograph to reality is always special for Tomkins. "Walking into this scene that you've been staring at for five years is just amazing," he says.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Central District, Hong Kong -- 1960s:</strong> Following in his grandfather's footsteps was both fulfilling and surreal for Tomkins: "I can imagine he went for a little stroll with his camera and I retraced the journey he went on which was pretty cool for me to do," he says.
Grandpa's photos -- Central District, Hong Kong -- 1960s: Following in his grandfather's footsteps was both fulfilling and surreal for Tomkins: "I can imagine he went for a little stroll with his camera and I retraced the journey he went on which was pretty cool for me to do," he says.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Central District, Hong Kong -- present day:</strong> To date, Tomkins has had more than 800 emails from people offering their thoughts on where his grandfather's photographs were taken.
Grandpa's photos -- Central District, Hong Kong -- present day: To date, Tomkins has had more than 800 emails from people offering their thoughts on where his grandfather's photographs were taken.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Nathan Rd, Hong Kong -- 1960s:</strong> Tomkins says people love helping him solve the mystery behind the photographs. "They really enjoy being the person who can know a place or can point out a place and I think that really drives people."
Grandpa's photos -- Nathan Rd, Hong Kong -- 1960s: Tomkins says people love helping him solve the mystery behind the photographs. "They really enjoy being the person who can know a place or can point out a place and I think that really drives people."
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Nathan Rd, Hong Kong -- present day: </strong>For maximum authenticity, Tomkins even used the same camera Clarke used in the 1960s -- a Voigtlander Bessamatic.
Grandpa's photos -- Nathan Rd, Hong Kong -- present day: For maximum authenticity, Tomkins even used the same camera Clarke used in the 1960s -- a Voigtlander Bessamatic.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Via Alcide De Gasperi, Sarezzo, Italy -- 1960s: </strong>Even with the help of people across the world, Tomkins sometime struggled to find the exact location, as in the case of this Italian scene.
Grandpa's photos -- Via Alcide De Gasperi, Sarezzo, Italy -- 1960s: Even with the help of people across the world, Tomkins sometime struggled to find the exact location, as in the case of this Italian scene.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Via Alcide De Gasperi, Sarezzo, Italy -- present day: </strong>After hiking for four hours with no luck, Tomkins stumbled across the view unexpectedly. "I walked around the corner and there it was," he recalls.
Grandpa's photos -- Via Alcide De Gasperi, Sarezzo, Italy -- present day: After hiking for four hours with no luck, Tomkins stumbled across the view unexpectedly. "I walked around the corner and there it was," he recalls.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Le vele di vanezia, Venice, Italy -- 1960s:</strong> Tomkins particularly enjoyed exploring Venice. "People told me exactly where [the locations] were," says Tomkins. "But it's such an intricate little maze of a place."
Grandpa's photos -- Le vele di vanezia, Venice, Italy -- 1960s: Tomkins particularly enjoyed exploring Venice. "People told me exactly where [the locations] were," says Tomkins. "But it's such an intricate little maze of a place."
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Le vele di vanezia, Venice, Italy -- present day: </strong>Getting lost in Venice allowed Tomkins to imagine what his grandfather experienced:<strong> "</strong>I almost got to follow Grandpa as he walked around and discovered places in that maze," he says.
Grandpa's photos -- Le vele di vanezia, Venice, Italy -- present day: Getting lost in Venice allowed Tomkins to imagine what his grandfather experienced: "I almost got to follow Grandpa as he walked around and discovered places in that maze," he says.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- The Ritz Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal -- 1960s:</strong> "This is such a cool thing for me because I get to talk about Grandpa and learn about him and tell people about him all the time," says Tomkins.
Grandpa's photos -- The Ritz Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal -- 1960s: "This is such a cool thing for me because I get to talk about Grandpa and learn about him and tell people about him all the time," says Tomkins.
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- The Ritz Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal -- present day: </strong>Now there's only one photograph left to decipher -- and Tomkins has mixed feelings about the project coming to a close.
Grandpa's photos -- The Ritz Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal -- present day: Now there's only one photograph left to decipher -- and Tomkins has mixed feelings about the project coming to a close.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong -- 1960s:</strong> Tomkins loves that his project keeps the memory alive. "It almost feels like he's still out there somewhere."
Grandpa's photos -- The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong -- 1960s: Tomkins loves that his project keeps the memory alive. "It almost feels like he's still out there somewhere."
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong -- present day: </strong>But this means the end of the project will be bittersweet.
Grandpa's photos -- The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong -- present day: But this means the end of the project will be bittersweet.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Piazza Nicola Demidoff, Florence, Italy -- 1960s:</strong> Tomkins says that when all the photograph locations are identified, it will feel like "there's nothing more to keep talking about."
Grandpa's photos -- Piazza Nicola Demidoff, Florence, Italy -- 1960s: Tomkins says that when all the photograph locations are identified, it will feel like "there's nothing more to keep talking about."
Courtesy Stephen Clarke
<strong>Grandpa's photos -- Piazza Nicola Demidoff, Florence, Italy -- present day: </strong>But thanks to Clarke's striking photographs -- and the journey they've inspired for his grandson and people across the world -- Clarke's memory will live on.
Grandpa's photos -- Piazza Nicola Demidoff, Florence, Italy -- present day: But thanks to Clarke's striking photographs -- and the journey they've inspired for his grandson and people across the world -- Clarke's memory will live on.
Courtesy Dave Tomkins