My family stories were stored in a box of old films found accidentally. We were stunned and burst out when the box was opened. It immediately became our treasure.

I remember that was while we were in Utah for my grandpa’s funeral this summer, I happened upon a box that had Kodak canisters inside. Etched onto the rolls of film were dates: 1955-1956.

At that time, I was so excited imagining what parts of my grandparents’ history were preserved in the grain of each undeveloped, forgotten frame. That is if anything that old was possibly visible.

I’m sure you’ve already deduced that not only were the images preserved but in pristine condition!

Pictured here is my grandmother at 24, a far cry from her ailing 85-year-old body suffering from the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. This image of her breathes life into the sadness of her situation, seeing her so young and vibrant. This brought back so many valuable memories.

Then I started thinking when these photos were taken over 60 years ago, I doubt my grandparents realized how precious and meaningful they would become. We would never be able to travel back in time, but we can still relive our memories through photos. That’s why the film is my preferred medium. That’s why I photograph. History. Memories. Meaning. Family.