Childhood & Family Photography

While working in TV Production in New York City, Laurie Rhodes began taking evening photography classes in Greenwich Village and wandering the city with a Nikon film camera loaded with Kodak Tri-X black-and-white film. Her teacher was especially drawn to the candid, documentary-style images she made of people and everyday moments.

One summer in a rustic Fire Island cottage, a friend bathed her young daughter in the kitchen sink. As the child splashed and laughed beneath the running water, Laurie instinctively reached for her camera and captured this moment of joy and spontaneity.

The photograph went on to win recognition in competitions, but more importantly, it changed the direction of her life.

The print hung in Laurie’s apartment hallway for months. Again and again, friends stopped in front of it and told her the same thing: You should be doing this.

And, she did.