Caleb Thal’s "To Remember": A Photographic Exploration of Memory’s Malleability

Los Angeles, CA – Photographer Caleb Thal, a seasoned visual artist whose creative journey has taken him through the vibrant landscapes of New York, the arid expansiveness of Phoenix, and the serene beauty of Dolores, Colorado, is set to release his deeply personal and conceptually rich new book, To Remember. Currently based in Los Angeles, Thal’s latest project delves into the intricate tapestry of personal memory, employing a unique artistic process of re-photographing and altering existing images to explore how our recollections evolve and transform over time.

The genesis of To Remember lies in Thal’s childhood experiences. “As a child I spent a lot of time looking at old photographs of myself and my family as we grew up,” Thal shared in an interview. “As I am older I find myself remembering events of my childhood more centred on the photograph as opposed to the actual event.” This profound realization—that photographs can become more potent anchors for memory than the events they depict—forms the bedrock of his artistic inquiry.

A Journey Through Life’s Defining Moments

Thal’s artistic development is intrinsically linked to pivotal moments in his life, each shaping his worldview and creative output. He identifies three key experiences:

The Transformative Experience of Overseas Travel

At the age of eighteen, Thal embarked on a six-month journey abroad. This was a stark departure from his upbringing in suburban Arizona, a move that profoundly broadened his perspective and fostered a deeper understanding of himself and the world. This early exposure to different cultures and environments likely instilled in him a curiosity for diverse narratives and a nascent appreciation for the subjective nature of experience, themes that resonate throughout his photographic work.

The Profound Impact of Fatherhood

The birth of his son at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented Thal with a unique blend of fear and wonder. This extraordinary life event, occurring during a period of global uncertainty, undoubtedly imbued his perspective with a heightened sense of appreciation for life’s preciousness and the ephemeral nature of time. The experience of nurturing new life amidst challenging circumstances likely amplified his sensitivity to the passage of time and the enduring power of familial bonds, central to the themes of To Remember.

Reclaiming Identity Through Shifting Beliefs

Thal’s decision to depart from his evangelical Christian upbringing marked another significant turning point. This profound personal evolution reshaped his understanding of the world and his place within it. Navigating such deeply ingrained belief systems and forging a new intellectual and spiritual path requires introspection and a willingness to question established narratives. This experience likely honed his ability to critically examine inherited perspectives and to construct his own meaning, a skill that directly informs his artistic exploration of how memories are reinterpreted.

Artistic Process: Weaving New Narratives from Old Threads

The methodology behind To Remember is as captivating as its thematic core. Thal’s deliberate approach involves printing existing photographs from his archive, then re-photographing and intentionally altering them. This process is not merely technical; it is a conceptual act of re-engagement with his own past.

The Tactile Nature of Memory and Print

“So this specific process is one that I actually only used for this book project,” Thal explained. “Much of photo is done digitally these days and I love seeing work in print. So I had all these prints of photographs spanning the last decade or so and I would often go and look through them, especially when I felt like I needed a bit of inspiration.” The physical print itself becomes a repository of memory, not just of the original captured moment, but also of the context in which it was printed and later revisited. Thal notes how a print’s location – “maybe a photo was printed while I was at the old house, now it’s just in a box” – or his subjective appraisal of it – “or I would remember not liking this version of the print etc.” – adds layers of recollection.

Creating New Memories Through Photographic Intervention

For To Remember, Thal sought to imbue these existing prints with a fresh layer of lived experience. “But for this project specifically I wanted to create a new memory with each of my prints – ‘the time I photographed this picture for my project’ sort of thing.” This conscious act of re-creation is where the magic of his process unfolds. He would photograph these prints at varied times of day, under different lighting conditions, and from various angles. “And it just so happened that while doing so I would photograph these pictures at random times, sometimes in the afternoon when the light was good, sometimes it was the last evening light and my son just went to bed so I could sneak in a bit of work. In doing so I got all these alterations depending on the lighting, the angle, how I would hold the print etc. And it created kind of a cool effect so I rolled with it.” This deliberate yet serendipitous manipulation of light, shadow, and perspective results in images that are both familiar and strikingly new, mirroring the way our minds reconstruct and embellish past events.

Inspiration Drawn from the Everyday and the Profound

Thal’s current creative wellspring is deeply rooted in the observations of his five-year-old son. “Lately I am finding a lot of my creative inspiration from my son (who is 5). He is at the age where everything is new and exciting, and he is constantly having moments where he is doing something for the first time—riding a bike, calling someone on the phone, seeing something for the first time—and I’ve been trying to really encapsulate that exciting and that feeling into my work.” This pursuit of nascent wonder is a conscious effort to reconnect with the raw, unadulterated joy of discovery, a feeling he notes can become dulled by the constant influx of visual information in the digital age.

He laments the potential for creative numbness in today’s saturated media landscape: “I’ve been in the world of photography for what feels like a long time and (maybe this is just because of the pace of instagram and how we absorb content) but there is just so much good work out there that I feel sort of numb to it all.” In response, Thal actively seeks to recapture the "excitement, giddiness almost when I took a photo that I was really stoked about" from his early days as a photographer, striving to find this elusive feeling in less conventional sources.

The Dance Between Instinct and Intention

When asked about his creative approach, Thal leans towards the instinctual. “I am definitely more instinctual. Although I really envy people who work more intentionally.” He finds that overly deliberate work can sometimes feel forced, whereas his most resonant pieces emerge from an intuitive response to feeling. “For me personally, any of my work that I am overly intentional about feels to me like it comes across as trying too hard (maybe that’s only in my head) but the work I resonate most with is because of the feeling it gives me, (whatever that feeling is) and I try to lean into that.” This reliance on emotional resonance and gut feeling allows his work to maintain an authentic and unforced quality.

Cherished Childhood Memories: The Power of Shared Experience

The project’s focus on family and childhood memories brings to the forefront one of Thal’s most cherished recollections: the act of looking through old family photographs. “One of the things that really got me excited about this project is how much I loved looking at old family photos of when I was a kid. My family was a big picture family so we have all these boxes of old photos of all sorts of events, family vacations, birthday parties, random outings.” He recounts how he and his sister would spend hours sifting through these visual archives. “As I was approaching this book I realized that one of my favorite childhood memories is actually just that—when we would get the pictures out and all look at them together.” This shared ritual, even across geographical distances as he now lives in a different state from his parents, underscores the enduring power of photographs to connect generations and foster shared narratives.

A Call to Reflect and Appreciate

Thal’s ultimate aspiration for To Remember is to inspire a similar reflective engagement in his audience. “I would love for people to appreciate their own memories/photographs as they flip the pages of this book.” He critiques the way social media can foster feelings of inadequacy by presenting curated glimpses into others’ lives. “I think that because of the way that social media has shaped how often we see pictures (especially pictures of other peoples lives/memories) it is easy to feel somehow less than or inadequate.” His hope is that To Remember serves as a gentle reminder to pause, to savor the often-overlooked beauty of everyday moments and the personal histories they represent. “My hope is that this book reminds people to slow down, to enjoy the mundane and the moments that are created.”

Mentorship and Future Aspirations

Thal acknowledges the significant influence of mentors in his career. He credits photographer Mark Mahaney with imparting valuable lessons. “I feel like I was extremely lucky to learn from and be around some pretty incredible photographers early on in my career. I can’t think of just one thing but I am always learning a lot from Mark Mahaney (whom I now consider a friend and a mentor) because of how much care and thought he approaches each photo he makes with—a really good blend of intentionality and instinct as you mentioned in the question above!” This emphasis on a balanced approach, blending thoughtful consideration with intuitive execution, is a hallmark of successful artistic practice.

Looking ahead, Thal has a mix of personal and professional ambitions. On a personal note, he aims to complete a 50k race within the year. Professionally, his lifelong aspiration is to leave a positive mark on the world through his work. “I would love to be known as someone whose work somehow made the world a little brighter. Even if it’s just inspiring a future photographer, or making work that speaks to climate change etc. I would like for my work to play a tiny part of it all.” This desire to contribute to a greater good, whether through direct inspiration or by addressing critical societal issues, speaks to the profound impact art can have.

Supporting the Photographic Arts

Caleb Thal was recognized as one of the 2025 Art & Photo Book Award Winners, a testament to the significance and artistic merit of To Remember. With the crucial support of Bookmobile, a company dedicated to bringing photographic projects to life in print, Thal was able to transform his vision into a tangible book. This collaboration highlights the importance of industry partnerships in nurturing artistic endeavors.

For those eager to experience To Remember firsthand, copies are available for purchase. Click here to purchase a copy.

The opportunity to publish one’s work is a vital aspect of artistic growth. Booooooom, the organization behind the Art & Photo Book Awards, is currently accepting proposals for their 2026 awards. Aspiring artists and photographers are encouraged to apply. Apply for our 2026 Art & Photo Book Awards here.

To Remember by Caleb Thal is more than just a collection of photographs; it is an invitation to explore the fluid, subjective nature of memory and the enduring power of the photographic image to shape our understanding of ourselves and our past. Through his innovative process and deeply personal narrative, Thal offers a poignant reflection on how we remember, and in doing so, how we continue to create ourselves.