Family - After 16 years
I was born in America. I lived in America until about the age of five and with my parents’ divorce, I moved to Australia with my mother. From the age of six, I actually went into foster care losing connections with all of my biological family.
Growing up I was honestly always jealous of my friends because they would have such amazing connections with their parents and siblings, they were all happy families and so connected. Because I could see these deep connections but couldn’t form any of my own, I always felt like I was drifting in the wind.
Finding My Brother
So, when I turned 21, I found my brother on Facebook. And it was amazing. It was the most incredible experience that I’ve had and through him, I actually found the rest of my family, I found my father, my other brother, cousins, aunts, my grandparents, everything. All of a sudden, there was a whole family at my fingertips.
It was honestly just so surreal. But meeting them was great, I even remembered my grandparents from when I was young, and I started rebuilding these connections.
It was…. so unreal and lovely.
The Photos That Changed My Life
But the most grounding moment I've had was when I went to visit my grandma and my grandpa this last trip. Now, my grandma, unfortunately, was really really really unwell.
And I flew from Australia to America to go and help for a couple of weeks because she was in ICU.
So when she came out it was just the three of us for weeks and for the first time ever I was able to sit and talk with them and learn about my grandmother's life - hearing about how she listened and watched the moon landing and wanted to go to the moon herself. Her regrets about leaving school to get married. And then her achievements, and it was amazing hearing this history and to think that I am connected to such a vibrant, vigorous woman. It was incredible!
They've been in the same house for nearly 30 years, So I'm sitting at her feet on the floor and we're going through family photos. And she's showing me photos of her as a little girl, and her mom and her grandma and her great-grandma.
And there is this photo of four generations that just mesmerized me. It was amazing to see this history in this photo of four women, all four generations at different stages of their lives. And to know that I was connected to each and every one of them.
Have you ever felt this? Have you sat and gone through the piles of old photos with your mum and pictured yourself in their time?
At this point, I’m looking through these photos and holding these trimmed edge photos that are over 70 years old and I realize that I am holding my history in my hand. This photo is my heritage, my lineage. Seeing these photos as my grandma when she was a baby, or seeing her walking with her mother- and it's amazing to think that without this photo I wouldn't be able to see them. I never would have been able to know that we all have the same smile. I mean, it's one thing to hear about your great great great grandma, Anna, blah, blah, blah… but to see her face is just amazing. And it made me realize just another reason why I love photography.
My Mission as a Photographer
I love my job and I love what I do. Because it's this moment. These photos that you take for your weddings or for new-borns are moments in your life. But also histories for generations to come and it was such a revelation to see these photos and to realize how lucky we are and how lucky I am to be able to hold these and that somebody thought far enough ahead to get these photos taken.
All my best,
Michaela
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