Christian Carillo wasn’t content to keep his family’s memories confined to a photo album.
So, he decided to connect the family’s past to his present by visiting the same places his grandparents did decades ago.
“I always remember growing up hearing stories about their travels,” he said.
Now, Carillo is using his own vacation time to meet some of the same people his grandparents encountered — like Anthony Geraldi, who still works at the famous Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
“Seeing myself with an afro standing in front of the crab counter brought back some great memories,” said Geraldi.
So far, he’s visited 10 states, and replicated dozens of pictures from New Orleans to the Oregon coast, but like his grandparents, admits he doesn’t let his limited funds stop him from going to all those places.
“I kind of learned from them it’s more about what you’re seeing, the experiences that you have rather than the nice places you’re staying.”
Finding out all the places his grandparents visited wasn’t particularly easy. But he’s used detailed journal entries from his 101-year-old grandmother to get clues as to where he could start.
“It would have been a lot more work if I didn’t have those,” he said. “If I’m not able to find the exact location in her journals I start picking out little clues in the photo.”
Christian's photos are now posted online for all to see and, perhaps, be inspired by.
"Whether they remember how America use to be or it causes them to remember loved ones, the core of the project was just kind of a way to honor my grandfather by showcasing his work," he said.
