The right case.
I can still remember the day I learned my grandpa & grandma met in photography class. It was like a puzzle piece had settled into my life’s story. Like, somehow the love for photography would have found me either way.
I wish I could see them in that photography class, locking eyes over film & photo paper. TALK ABOUT ROMANCE.
My grandpa carried a camera almost everywhere.
Snapping photos left & right of anyone or anything.
Grandma tells me “I wasn’t near as invested in that class as he was” I giggle & make jokes about the dark room.
It wasn’t until after grandpa was gone, I felt like we connected over photography. He wasn’t here but somehow he felt intertwined in my work & vision for this brand more than ever.
I wish we could have connected on this before.
I often get stuck there.
Kicking myself for not exploring his love for this craft & forcing him to show me his favorite work.
I remember when another grandpa of mine passed off his silver case. Another puzzle piece.
There was a random day I decided to stop by, just a quick hello I told myself. No reason, all feeling.
He called to me from way down the hall “Taylor come here!”
As I got closer I saw the silver case that had a manila tag hanging off.
I honestly had no idea what this was.
He told me (with a sense of 100% certainty might I add) “I want you to have these”
I opened the case & I know I looked surprised.
“ARE THESE YOUR OLD CAMERAS?!”
Obviously a photographer & vintage fanatic’s DREAM.
They were really special to him. I could sense that in his voice.
I’ll treasure these cameras forever, just because they’re grandpas. I’ll never forget the teary eyes & shaky voice that explained why he was sure they were meant for me.
The stories that live behind these cameras moved me & motivated me toward something new. Something I just couldn’t shake.
The drive to be a storyteller. Not just another photographer.
I like to think the camera would have always found its way to me. That the stories would have always pulled me in.
That somehow those puzzle pieces were laid before me, I just had to open the right case.
