Photographer Nancy Borowick has had a glittering career, focusing her lens on a range of subject matters that educate and drive conversation. There’s one series, however, that’s deeply personal to her, exploring the nuances of losing the people that gave her life.

The older I get, the more mindful I’m becoming of my relationship with my parents. Now in my mid thirties, my understanding that one day they’ll no longer be here is becoming stronger. It’s a difficult reality to process.

Currently, I’m drawn to photography projects that explore what it’s like to lose our parents. Borowick’s project, The Family Imprint, is a four part series that covers both her parents' cancer diagnosis and their passing.

It’s a challenging series to view as it really zones in on the complex journey you experience when sadly both your parents are going to die.

And yet, it’s also an uplifting body of work, one that shines light on the beautiful connection you can enjoy before it’s time to say goodbye. The Family Imprint can teach us not to run away from the topic of death. But, to instead, accept it, understand it and where possible, embrace it.

10 years have passed since the passing of Borowick’s parents. I caught up with her to revisit that time and to learn how she currently feels about the experience.

About Nancy Borowick

Nancy Borowick is a photographer, speaker and teacher based between St. John, USVI and New York City.

You can see her work in a range of leading publications including National Geographic, TIME Magazine and The Washington Post.

Borowick is available for both online mentoring and portfolio reviews.

Them Frames: The Family Imprint is a very personal project. How did you first put the idea forward to your parents? What was their initial reaction to the idea of photographing them throughout their illness?

Nancy Borowick: My mother had been sick on and off for many years and when I was a student at the International Center of Photography, I photographed her journey as part of a class project so she was familiar with this concept.

When my dad got his diagnosis, he actually asked my mom if she thought I would now tell his story. At this point there wasn’t a plan on publishing the photographs.

But, I think they knew how photography was helping me be with them and process what was going on and being my parents, they wanted to support that.

Them Frames: Cancer is seldom a fun topic. But, when I look at Chapter 1 of the series, I see humor, love, happiness and people having a good time. What was the intention behind this?

Nancy Borowick: My father’s parents died of cancer when he was just a child and my mom’s father died also of cancer when she was in college so thinking and talking about mortality was not novel in our home.

I think my parents understood just how limited and unknown our time was and decided to make the most out of what we did have left together. Of course there were hard moments but for the most part, things were ok.

Them Frames: In terms of making the images, visually did you have a plan? Or was it more a case of being present and having your camera at hand?

Nancy Borowick: Just being present, with my camera on hand, was the plan. Reacting to what was going on and focusing on making an interesting image in some ways distracted me from the actual reality of what was happening.

Them Frames: Chapter II documents the day your mom passes. What frame of mind are you in at this point? Like, how do you navigate photographer mode and daughter mode in such a complex situation?

Nancy Borowick: As much as I like to think photography was my armor which protected me from the hardest moments, I am also human and I wasn’t strong all the time.

I would take some photographs, then put my camera down. I think I was just going through the moments and frankly, after my dad died (he died first) I took a lot less photographs as my mom was dying. I think the reality was truly setting in that I was about to lose both of them.

Them Frames: How did photographing the journey help you with acceptance, grieving and healing for the loss of your parents?

Nancy Borowick: Photographing my parents and our journey helped me in so many ways and now years out I can 100% stand by this. I needed to be there with my parents, to help them, support them, love them and distract them from the reality.

That said, I had to protect myself too. That’s when sort of treating my shoots as a project gave me a job in a space where I couldn’t really help my parents, certainly not medically.

I remember those years so vividly, more than most years in my life, and that is because of the photographs and so I am grateful for that. Healing has taken time, but because of the project, I get to share my parents with the world and that brings me so much joy.

Them Frames: How did your personal relationship with your parents evolve after documenting them so closely through such a sensitive time?

Nancy Borowick: I think the hardest thing for my parents was accepting help from me and being vulnerable with me because after all, I was their adult child. I am so lucky because most people don't develop an almost peer to peer, adult to adult relationship with their parents and mine was in fast forward.

I got 28 great years with my dad and 29 with my mom and I know some people don’t even get that lucky so I cherish the time we had and the growth in our relationships that happened in that time.

Them Frames: Now some time has passed, how do you feel about this project?

Nancy Borowick: Being a mother now, I am particularly grateful for this project. Because when I'm searching for help, answers to questions, inspiration and all the things, I remember my parents in this time when they had nothing to lose and truly shared and gave so much to my siblings and I.

They’ve been gone 10 years now and my memory of them is so imprinted in my brain and on my soul.

Them Frames: Being such a personal topic, what inspired you to make the book? How does it feel that so many people have an interest in such a delicate time in your life?

Nancy Borowick: Many people commented on the fact that my family was so positive during such a difficult time. I always said that this was just how my family was… finding the silver linings, making the lemonade etc.

I did start to wonder though why we were the way we were. This coincided with cleaning out our family home, I uncovered so many clues into my family’s history in that process. I decided to make the book as a way to tell the whole story of my family and my parents and not just their final chapter.

Them Frames: What do you hope this work can teach others about the relationship with family and loss of those that brought us into this world?

Nancy Borowick: I hope people feel compelled to have the hard conversations so they can then appreciate all that follows.

Death is a part of life, and accepting that allows you to look at the world and life in a different way and spend the time you do have especially with your loved ones with a new appreciation I hope. You don’t have to wait until someone you love is dying to understand this!

The Family Imprint: A Daughter’s Portrait of Love and Loss is available to buy on Amazon and other bookstores. You can see more work from Nancy Borowick by visiting her website.

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