One woman’s exploration into her family’s past and the transformative artistry of photography. They continue to do justice to the legacy of their beloved father, who left this earth in 2012. Once upon a time in 1958, an unknown man traveled from India to Glasgow. He decided to finish his medical degree there. It was during this time that he met his wife-to-be. She too was a nurse at the same hospital—the start of a great family saga.
Her father’s life is revealed through detailed photo albums. These milestones, yes, but the little moments— all quintessentially American moments filled with joy, laughter and narrative. It was his “camera-crazy” energy that made him a star. Through breathtaking images, he documented the story of his life, passion and those he cherished. He knew what worked; he had a natural flair for storytelling. He often regaled his family with riveting stories from his youth, rife with thesaural monkeys, magicians, and literature that was too dangerous to be written about snakes. These colorful stories expanded their minds and imaginations and deepened the family’s connection to their African American ancestry.
The daughter, a trendsetting style maven and career-oriented registered nurse, formed an essential thread in this loving family tapestry. Her first powwow with her in-laws was on that transcendent trip, taking care to never forget how comforting family ties can feel. They shared burdens of life and gave thanks in moments of happiness, forging a partnership that would endure through the years.
After his father’s passing, the individual found solace behind the lens of a camera, developing a newfound passion for photography. This interest became a means of coping with grief and honoring the memory of a father who had instilled in them a love for capturing moments. It was on a moving recent trip to Kolkata with their mother that they fully reconnected with the family roots. Our visit involved spending time with nannys, grampies, aunts, uncles, and cousins, helping to cement those familial links even more.
A particularly cherished memory is one captured on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport, where the individual and their mother posed for a photograph together. This moment represents not just their experience but the persistence of family love and tradition even in the wake of loss.