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The Found Photographs

My journey into the world of photography was deeply personal. It was my grandfather who first handed me a 35mm film camera when I was just 13. The first few rolls of film I shot were a revelation. Suddenly, the world around me had structure and meaning, and I could preserve those moments forever.

When my grandfather passed away in 2018, I inherited his extensive archive of photographs. It was the first time I had ever seen any of these pictures. After going through these 35mm slides, I noticed similarities between my street photography and the photographs he made during his time in the Air Force. This collection of work is a celebration of my grandfather's pictures and a showcase of how his relationship with the medium has influenced my work and how I see the world around me.

This website aims to be an online gallery of the work, plus an extension of the project to expand on the vast amount of photographs made by my grandfather to showcase his eye and celebrate his life and how important a role he played in my photographic journey. — Ryan Belk

This work was first exhibited at Public Works Art Center in the Spring of 2024.