For more than 60 years, he immortalized entire generations of Sangavino residents, and now, at the age of 86, Vittorio Altea, the historic Sangavino photographer who chronicled the life of an entire community with his shots, has passed away.
Vittorio Altea opened his photography studio in 1956, before film, but rather large-format plates, which he retouched by hand to perform photo editing that today is done with programs like Photoshop. He photographed generations of Sangavino residents at every ceremonial event: from baptisms to weddings, as well as various sporting and musical events. Not all families could afford cameras, so he rented them free of charge in exchange for developing and printing the film.
In 1985, he founded the local television station 'Jolly TV'. With his passion, he managed to involve his family, and in the 1990s, his three children, Andrea, Silvia, and Stefano, joined the business. The studio invested in a large development and printing laboratory, unique in the Medio Campidano region for the type of services offered, and the first to offer one-hour printing.
Volunteer Luca Vaccargiu fondly remembers him: "His studio was the place where entire generations of families stopped for a moment, and became memories. He was a truly wonderful person, a truly special professional who was hard to forget. Always available, with his calm, humble nature, and kind smile, along with an eye that could capture the soul behind every shot. He was able to pass on his passion and his craft to his three children, who still carry on his human and professional legacy today."
