A Photo Walk Down Memory Lane

I love photography. Not just the act of taking photos, but the process. Coming up with a theme or being presented with an assignment and asking myself: What do I want to create? I love photography projects that require me to pause, to imagine something, and then figure out how to bring that vision to life.

Today, while digging through an old barrel, I stumbled on a folder of work from undergrad. What a find. It instantly transported me back to a time when I was just starting out, learning the craft with a film camera and working in a darkroom.

Yes, a darkroom. I’m old enough to have learned photography when developing film was part of the curriculum—and no, this wasn’t some niche retro elective. Film was still standard for photography classes, even though digital photography was around. It just wasn’t as accessible yet for everyday use with SLRs.

I remember deciding not to do the only digital photography class offered at the time because it was held on the Staten Island campus and taking that class would’ve meant missing the last school bus home from the city as the timing just didn’t work with the boat schedule… (This is starting to sound like ancient times lol but it really wasn’t that long ago!)

But the point is, I learned photography on film. I learned to develop my own photographs in the dark. And I loved it.

There was something magical about watching a photo appear on paper, slowly emerging from a blank sheet in the developer tray. Dodging and burning by hand. Hanging prints up to dry. Holding my breath as I opened the back of the camera to remove the film—praying no one would barge into the room and flood it with light, ruining the roll. It was meticulous and unpredictable, but so deeply satisfying.

Unearthing the Past

Going through that old folder was more than just a nostalgia trip—it was a reminder of how much I loved the process. I giggled seeing photos of my friends from back then, faces I hadn’t thought about in years, remembered old neighborhoods, shots of my school, and even projects I completely forgot I did. Some of the images felt so familiar I could recall exactly when I took them… and yet I had forgotten they even existed.

Looking at them lit something up in me.

I’m so happy I found that folder. It felt like a creative jolt—a gentle nudge from the past saying, Hey, remember this? You loved this.

I was reminded how much I love photography assignments—projects that allow for experimentation, storytelling, and creativity. I get to do that with my Calendar series every year, but I haven’t been doing enough of that otherwise in recent years. I feel like I should seek out more work like that with people or organizations to tell a story and be creative in that way.  

Above I’ve share some of the photographs I found today! If you’re in any of the photos I shared, drop a comment—I’d love to hear from you. I hope you enjoy this little look back as much as I did.