Maria Thibodeau offers us split seconds of time—instants we might miss walking around

amidst the commotion of the fair. She says, “My philosophy is that photos are the most

powerful gifts we can give each other—a frozen instant to crack open and reveal secret

rooms of memory, of love, of connection. We take so much for granted in these days of

instant gratification and cameras in everyone’s pocket, but I believe that photos are so

much more than bits of data to languish on our hard drives. They are worth the time and

effort and careful curation to hold and preserve all that we most value: each other.”

Thibodeau is a 2nd-generation photographer, 3rd-generation newswoman, and 5th-generation

Islander. She says, “My current work is shaped by all of those things—a kind of osmosis of

memory, a childhood spent looking forward to the ritual of the fair every summer,” and after

two-plus decades living afar, a chance to re-examine her deep familiarity with Martha’s

Vineyard.

​

Text by: Abby Remer 2020

​

maria@mariathibodeauphotography.com

​

www.mariathibodeauphotography.com

​

@Mariawritingwithlightphotography