Episode 1: What's Your One Photo?

What if you could only keep one photograph?

The one you'd go back for if your house were on fire. The one you could stare at forever, even when it hurts. The one that reminds you who you are, where you came from, or who you never want to forget.

Welcome to That One Photo, a podcast about the stories hiding inside the photographs we treasure most.

I'm Laura Richards, a family and newborn photographer in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a former journalist. In this introductory episode, I’m sharing how this project came to be, why photographs have become so deeply important to me, and why I believe the most meaningful photographs aren't necessarily the best photographs.

They're the ones that hold something.

A memory. A person. A feeling. A piece of family history.

That One Photo isn't really a podcast about photography. It's about memory, family, grief, identity, love, and the people and stories we carry with us.

In the episodes to come, I'll sit down with everyday people and ask them one simple question: Tell me about your one photo.

So start thinking about yours. Pull out the old albums. Open the boxes. Scroll way, way back in your camera roll.

You probably already know which one it is.

Submit your One: laurarichardsphotography.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

What's your one photo? I believe that everyone has one. The photo you would grab if your house were on fire, the one that's lived in your wallet for years, or the one you could stare at forever, even if it hurts, the one that always makes you smile, the one that reminds you who you are and where you came from, especially in times of self-doubt. Maybe it's a photo that changed how you see your family or the one you return to when life gets hard. Hi, my name is Laura Richards and I'm the host of That One Photo, the home of heartfelt conversations with everyday people about their most treasured family photographs. I'm a family and newborn photographer in Charlottesville, Virginia, and this is my 10th year in business, which I'm so grateful for. I photograph families on film, and for me, film is the beating heart of sincere family imagery. It helps me create more meaning, show up to sessions with more intentionality, and just gives my clients a little bit of nostalgia when they see their photos, knowing that their family photos in 2026 were created on the same format as they were in 1996 during their own childhood. I also have a background in journalism, so this project really feels like going back to my roots. I've talked to people about everything from homelessness and immigration to beards and wine. If you've been following my work for a while, like a while, you might remember Project Hands, in which I interviewed more than 50 unhoused men and women about their lives and created meaningful portraits of their hands. Back in December 2024, and I still have the dated note in my phone, I wondered why do we take photos? It's a simple question, but I think the answer is deeper than we think. As I've thought about it and talked to people in my world about their favorite family photos, I'm realizing that photos aren't necessarily valuable because they're good photographs. Maybe they're not tech sharp, maybe someone's head is not fully in the frame, maybe there's distractions in the background. They're valuable because of what happened around them, how they make us feel, and how much of a person's true personality is captured in the image. So what may look like an ordinary photo to the person sitting next to you, or what may look like even a bad photo, can mean everything to you. So several months after I've jotted that note down, the idea of that one photo was born. And the more it took shape in my head, the more I knew that it was just something I had to try. Despite being in podcast form, it's really a conversation-style passion project, exploring our most treasured family photos and why they're so meaningful to us. I care about this because I really and truly don't know where I would be without my own family photos, especially those from my childhood. My parents documented my life so well and so lovingly and so thoroughly. And now that they're both gone, my dad passed away when I was 19 and my mom just last August. Family photos are my ticket back to them. My goal is for each episode to begin with a single image and unfold into a heartfelt conversation with my guest about what's happening inside the frame, around the frame, and also what happens inside yourself when you look at it. The thoughts, the memories, the pain, the joy, the love, the tug in your soul that tells you this photo is sacred. Despite my being a professional photographer, this is not a podcast about photography. It's a podcast about memory, family grief, personal identity, the journeys we've been on, and the stories and people we hold in our hearts. And the beauty of it is you don't have to be a photography person or an expert or a professional in any way, shape, or form to be part of it. I want to talk to you, whoever you are, as you are. And before anyone asks, I do have my own that one photo chosen. Um I didn't even want to launch this project without having that chosen for myself. Um, and I found that it's a really good feeling to know what your one photo is. Um, and that will be a conversation and episode for another day. So follow along, please share this with your own family, um, get everyone's wheels turning, pull out your boxes and albums of family photos, and submit your one at laurichardsphotography.com. My goal with this is to curate a beautiful collection of imagery and stories that really speak to the heart of family photography. And as a guest, you will walk away with a really meaningful recorded conversation about your own family memories, the people you love most in this world, your family lore, and I just think that's such a gift, not only to you, but to all the generations after you. So let me know what you think of this project. I would love any and all feedback, and stay tuned for the next episode.