As a young boy, I would often stay at my grandparents house over the weekend. The spare bedroom I slept in had a varnished, wooden box on top of the wardrobe that opened out into a writing desk.

Inside it were an assortment of black and white family photographs of my parents, grandparents and other relations.

Looking through these photographs was a magical experience akin to time travel.

Being able to go back to a time before I was born and see my parents in a way that was impossible any other way. The images transported me. I would pore over these images examining facial expressions for clues as to what they were feeling, thinking, doing.

I would wonder where the photos might have been taken and who the people were that accompanied my parents.

The images that moved me the most were my parent’s wedding photographs. They look so impossibly young. So beautiful. So happy. So cool.

I wished that I could physically travel back into these scenes to meet them.

When I reached the age my parents were in these photographs, I imagined going back to meet them and hanging out with them. Finding out all the things about your parents you don’t hear from them.

I think it was these photographs that kick-started my fascination and love of photography. I have been teaching photography now for over half my life now and these photos still continue to enthrall me the most. ~shared by @robincowings