A Bolton-le-Sands photographer's new exhibition with echoes of the pioneering 'Up' television show has reunited friends 46 years on.
In the autumn of 1980, Sam Hill photographed young people in Preston town centre during his final year at art college.
Forty six years later, through social media, Sam managed to find more than 40 of the people from the original images, and photographed them again.
The result is the stunning exhibition 'Alternative Kids 1980 – We Met Again 2026'.
The 1980 and 2026 photographs are now displayed side by side at the Harris Gallery in Preston - as a visual time machine offering a snapshot into people's lives as teenagers, and now as 60somethings.
For Sam, being reunited with the subjects of his photographs and finding out how their lives developed over more than four decades - while also reuniting them with long-lost friends - was an emotional experience.
LISTEN to Sam Hill
Sam Hill
"I was in my final year at Blackpool Art College, studying graphic design," said Sam.
"We were very fortunate to have, as a part time lecturer, the very well known industrial landscape photographer John Davies. He inspired the students and let us do what we wanted for our final year photography module.
"I decided to go into Preston on a Saturday afternoon, and photograph young people - mods, punks, early Goths, students - and I wanted to photograph them in a very positive way. At the time there was a lot of images depicting skinheads and punks in a violent way. I hope my pictures gave people dignity.
"They were interesting looking kids, the average age was 17. A very individual generation.
"My lecturer loved the pictures so much, he curated an exhibition in Blackpool for them. How honoured was I, for this renowned photographer to do that."
Many years later while living in Cornwall, Sam found the negatives of the original photographs.
"I thought, what if I can find some of these people now and photograph them again, as they are now?" he said.
"I thought about it often, but life takes over, and I thought maybe one day I'll do this.
"Then we moved back up north, I retired from my design business in November last year, and thought, I can now revisit this. So I contacted the Harris and by January, had made contact with a website called 'Preston Punks' and managed to get hold of two guys. From there, it spread.
"They put me in touch with someone else, the pictures were shared, and eventually I had over 50 names.
"Some people had passed away, two people didn't want to be involved which I respect.
"Then around about Easter, I started photographing people. Not many remember me, and I don't remember specific incidents at all.
"Generally speaking it's fuzzy for us all. But 90 per cent of people were over the moon and thrilled to be involved.
"I'd meet them in a cafe, 46 years later."
The resulting meetings was reminiscent of the Up series of documentary films, shown on ITV, which followed a group of people through their lives from the age of seven up to the age of 70.
"It was the nearest anyone will get to time travel," said Sam.
"It's like you've gone fast forward into someone's life, and there they are.
"They were brought up at a time when things weren't good for young people, in terms of getting jobs.
"A lot of them are now grandparents, have had regular jobs and have lived a life. There have been some interesting people. One has been in the RAF. One who was a little punk in a (1980) picture, is a director of a massive organisation.
"I photographed a guy who became Jon Da Silva, one of the most significant Hacienda DJs during the acid house era. Lots of interesting stories about people.
"I left feeling enriched and uplifted, because I'd met a whole bunch of lovely people. I'm very fortunate to have this experience. It's made me feel better about human nature."
Many of the people in the photographs were invited to the opening of the exhibition on Saturday.
"It was a joyful occasion," said Sam.
"People came from different parts of the country and were meeting friends they hadn't seen for years.
"There was a group of guys there who were soul boys at the time, and a group who were punks. They all knew one another. They all went to the same gigs and hung around Preston together.
"There were two friends who'd lost track of each other for 20 years. People have totally reconnected with somebody they care about.
"It was an incredible experience."
'Alternative Kids 1980 – We Met Again 2026' is open at the Harris Gallery until January 10 2027.
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