Childhood photos have a special meaning even to photographers. Austin Tufigno and Francesca Attard show their childhood photos to Veronica Stivala.

Francesca Attard

My love of photography started when I got my first camera as a Christmas gift at the age of 13. It was a manual one and I used to take it with me everywhere. I had a massive urge to capture moments around me but I used to limit myself when to take them because developing one film of 24 images was expensive.

Things changed when I was 18 and bought my first digital camera. It was an HP Photosmart 120. It only supported a 128Mb SD card but it was the perfect start for me – I discovered the joy of taking photos freely without the need to think that there could be a limit. I also started discovering the thrill that I could get from taking a great shot and also the enjoyment that it can bring to others. Eventually I upgraded to much better cameras along the years and now I have one of the most professional cameras on the market, which gives me the ultimate freedom to take the shots I imagine and see.

The way I approach photography nowadays is probably highly influenced by my childhood because I look for fun and energy. I love capturing emotional and personal stories for other people and making sure their memories remain alive for many years to come.

I appreciate all my childhood photos, even the blurry ones

I appreciate all my childhood photos, even the blurry ones, because the digital world of cameras was non-existent for all of my childhood. We took photos randomly with small manual cameras as we didn’t have a professional one.

Francesca Attard as a little girl.

However, my parents always carried around a small camera on special occasions or outings. One of my favourite childhood photos is the one I have with my brothers and father in Ta’ Qali. It was a perfect Sunday outing and we decided to go for a picnic.

This photo symbolises all the energetic games I used to play with my brothers like catch or hide and seek. My mother had taken this photo after my parents had managed to calm us down from running all over the place. I appreciate my mother’s efforts for managing to capture a well-composed image with us four standing straight and relatively well behaved.

Other childhood photos I cherish are different portraits I have on my own because they help me remember different moments and details of how I used to look like years ago.

For more of Francesca Attard’s photos visit www.icreatemotionstudio.com.

A treasured family photo.

Austin Tufigno

Being the youngest in a family of seven children, six of whom are girls, it was a likely consequence that I build a close bond with my father with whom I would spend long hours.

Austin Tufigno as a young boy.

My father has always taken photos for as long as I can remember. From my early childhood my memories of him have always been with a camera loosely hanging around his neck or within reach. We would carry a camera with us practically everywhere we went and he constantly took photos and spoke about photography with such a heartfelt passion that it was instinctive that my admiration towards him attracted me to what my father had initially undertaken as a pastime and later developed into a career.

As I grew up, photography became an integral part of my everyday life. In order to learn photography the right way I was packed off to study photography abroad. Against this scenario, there was no turning back for me. I discovered that photography presented endless possibilities: the way an image, scene or object can be portrayed is practically limitless, with each photograph depicting a different mood, view, expression, perception and story. Exploring the different methods of taking a photo while deciding the best possible way to portray what is before you was, is and will continue to remain my lifetime challenge and ambition.

The photo was taken using the automatic timer which for me, at that age, was an innovative fascination

From my childhood, I particularly treasure a family photo. It was the first proper occasion that I recall well when the whole family was gathered together. At the time, three of my sisters lived in the UK and travelling was more costly and complicated than it is today. Consequently, from a young age I always treasured such happy moments shared with my parents and sisters. Moreover, in order to include all the family, including my father, the photo was taken using the automatic timer which for me, at that age, was an innovative fascination.

Also, the background of this particular photo depicts a lovely painting of Valletta. Being originally from Valletta, and having worked in Valletta, the capital has always played a central role in my life. My wife too is from Valletta, hence my family, both then and now, has always had strong ties with Valletta: it’s a city we all patriotically support, take pride in and hold in high esteem.

I also like a photo I have of me as a boy – this was taken during my first travelling experience abroad. Travelling for the first time aged six marked a significant adventure in my life. This new experience exposed me to a whole new reality beyond my daily borders. Since then I have always enjoyed travelling and try to do it regularly with my family.

In this respect I also cherish a photo I recently took when my family and I were living in Belgium. This photographs reminds me of the great moments my family and I shared while living in Belgium, above all the frequent travelling trips we made together to different parts of Europe – memories I will cherish all my life.

For more of Austin Tufigno’s photos visit www.tufigno.com.