Solidifying Roots

• Prize
  Gold in People/Family
• Photographer
  Dale Niles

After both of my parents died, I found myself in possession of numerous heirlooms and things that would not mean anything to anyone else but me. They evoked a deluge of memories for me. In an effort to preserve these I started photographing these items, sometimes including my adult children with the items that pertained to their namesake or were somehow connected to them. It was a way for me to share my memories with my children and hopefully keep our heritage alive, solidifying roots.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Niles’ formative years were spent with her family living in small, southern towns in Virginia and North Carolina. Inspired by the heritage of these locales, neighbors, and friends, she developed deep-seated southern roots that richly inform her photography practice with visual storytelling. Niles celebrates the diverseness of the human spirit, appreciating those qualities that make us delightfully unique, yet connected in many ways, particularly through shared experiences and preserved visual memories.