Each year, Thanksgiving comes around as a referendum on the American way of life. The state of our union is revealed in dinner table conversation (rocky, religious, or delightfully rambling), a politically charged holiday tradition, mad-dash consumerism targeted at trending holiday gifts and flat-screen TVs, familial closeness even in a divided country, reflections on a nearly complete year, and, above all, the dishes that find their way to the center of the meal. (Vegan turkey for 2024, anyone?) Ahead of this week's festivities, we reached out to photographers near and far for a snapshot of how they spend the holiday. The answer was resounding: with family.
Arthur Elgort
Since his breakthrough in the 1970s, New York native Arthur Elgort's free-flowing photography style has been his signature. In the pages of Vogue, GQ, here at CULTURED, and across four monographs, he captures models in states of exaltation and spontaneity.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
The first time we hosted it in our house in Southampton. It was 1983, the same year we bought the place. The table was packed with family and friends, around 14 people, if I remember correctly. We've hosted Thanksgiving there ever since, and the table is always full!
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
Thanksgiving makes me happy. I love having all the kids home and how kind everyone is. It’s nice that there are no gifts, just being together is the best part.
Where and how did you take these images?
I took these images with my point-and-shoot camera, which is always around my neck. I snapped some while someone was cooking and others at the dinner table. I’m never without a camera. The next day, we go outside to take a photo for our holiday card—it’s a must!
Marisa Langley
New York-based Marisa Langley has shot for everyone from the New York Times to the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra. In her personal practice, she centers an examination of marginalized communities across the diaspora in intimate portraiture.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
Visiting my grandmother in North Carolina. We’d drive overnight from Pennsylvania to avoid traffic and arrive just as the sun was coming up. Her house always smelled like her cooking, and everything about it felt steady and familiar. It’s a memory that’s stuck with me—how simple things like the consistency of an unchanged place can make you feel grounded.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
The holidays have always felt like a summoning, pulling me back to the people and places that ground me. They evoke a sense of return—both to my family and to the spaces that feel like home. Visiting my grandmother at Lake Waccamaw, for example, is like reconnecting with my history. It offers me a chance to pause, reflect, and realign. The holidays are about finding balance between nostalgia and renewal before stepping forward again.
Where and how did you take these images?
I took both of these images in November 2022 at Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, during Thanksgiving break, which also coincides with my grandmother's birthday. The first image is a portrait I captured on her 90th birthday, in a rare moment of calm after the holiday commotion. The second image is of Lake Waccamaw, its still surface mirroring the sense of calm and connection that defines both the place and the occasion.
Christian Cody
New York-based, Georgia-born photographer and director Christian Cody has a litany of creatives in his portfolio. A flip through his cover shoots reveals striking portraits of Donald Glover, Latto, Ice Spice, Lupita Nyong'o, Regina King, and Maya Rudolph.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
The sounds and smells of food being cooked and prepared by my mother. She would make her specialized dishes in lieu of the gatherings we’d rotate around different family members homes. It was always chaotic in the kitchen, but i knew that soon we’d be at someone’s home eating.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
Thanksgiving is the intro to holiday season for me. It is the “open-house” of family holidays. It’s always something that makes you anticipate the warmth of family. I treat it as the moment to see your loved ones, [have] fellowship, and gab about life.
Where and how did you take this image?
This image was taken in a really rural town called Camak, Georgia where my paternal great-grandmother lived. All the people in the photo are her descendants and I turned around to snap my own picture as we waited in a group for an updated family portrait. I’m glad we had that day to stamp it because we haven’t been able to do it again there since.
Ryan Rusiecki
CULTURED Young Photographer Ryan Rusiecki is based in Kingston, New York and pulls much of his inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Most pressing is his series of snapshots chronicling the changing ecology of the Hudson River Estuary, where climate change is rapidly taking its toll.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
My earliest memories of Thanksgiving are generally warm but rather unremarkable, similar to turkey that has been slightly overcooked. I recall getting out of school early on Wednesdays, driving in my family’s hatchback to visit relatives in central Massachusetts as we listened to Fleetwood Mac. My parents made a habit of stopping at Walmart after exiting the Mass Pike, which is when I knew that we were close to arriving.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
Thanksgiving embodies the complexity of American identity unlike any other holiday. It is drawn out: anticipation and preparation, the actual celebration, and then processing what happened. For me, it evokes an atmosphere of expectation, with a hint of nostalgia, and the urge for introspection. I spend time in places that I frequented as a teenager. I see people that I haven’t seen since Thanksgiving the year before; they ask lots of questions.
Where and how did you take these images?
Along the periphery of a river town in Westchester County. These photographs of the coastal realm were made between railroad tracks and the Hudson River Estuary. On Thanksgiving, I always return to locations I once frequented as a teenager for a moment of reprieve.
Julie Goldstone
Director and photographer Julie Goldstone lives in Los Angeles, but calls herself a local of Paris, San Francisco, and New York—a cosmopolitanism that's evident in her work for publications including The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, and CULTURED.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
I grew up between France and the U.S., but no matter where we were, Thanksgiving meant Vermont. Cookie and Jim, my paternal grandparents, had renovated an old farmhouse house so tastefully it would have made Martha proud.
It had a wide, slate blue open kitchen with a traditional wood-fire stove, and open beams adorned with the summer’s crop of garlic braids and gourds, and a collection of ceramics and wooden bowls. Six cousins, our parents, and aunts and uncles would bustle around noisily. The soft reclaimed barnwood floors perfectly cushioned our games of hide and seek or tinker toys, and the white tile countertops became our perch as we chatted with Grandma, who was always—always—cooking.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
It’s impossible to recreate the Hollywood-perfect version of Thanksgiving I remember from childhood, but I carry the love of nurturing community (family and friends) and bringing people together. Thanksgiving looks different every year now, but always evokes a feeling of authentic human connection.
Where and how did you take these images?
Last year, we drove across the border to Rosario, Mexico with our dear friends and had a very untraditional Thanksgiving. I photographed the kiddos on film with my Contax throughout the few days we were there as we grilled fish, went horseback riding, and looked for shells on the beach. That amazing sense of community was there and just as strong with our tiny group and hodgepodge meal.
Eric Hart Jr.
In Eric Hart Jr.'s portraiture, he aims to capture two distinct qualities: beauty and power. The CULTURED Young Photographer has conributed work to Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and Washington Post, and last year released his first monograph, When I Think About Power.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
My earliest memories of Thanksgiving come to me in these beautiful little fragments, mainly focused on food. I remember my older brother piling my grandmother’s macaroni and cheese onto his plate. The way my grandmother’s kitchen is set up, only one person can sit at the head of the table, so he and I would compete to sit there. He’d usually win. I remember my grandmother setting aside the turkey wings just for my father as that’s his favorite part of the turkey. I remember my aunt dropping off her dressing every Thanksgiving and getting excited because she puts meat in her dressing and let me tell you, that meat takes the dressing to a whole new level.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
I’d say anticipation is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the holiday. I’ve always looked at Thanksgiving as an appetizer to the most wonderful time of the year. One thing about me, I absolutely love the month of December. So I am always enthusiastic about wrapping up dinner and immediately blasting Mariah’s Christmas album, setting up the Christmas tree and/or watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with my family. I could be biased because my birthday is the following week but I just love the momentum of birthday activities, christmas celebrations, and new year being led by this beautiful time with family and food.
Where and how did you take this image?
This image was taken in Macon, Georgia during the holiday season of 2019. I always take the opportunity to photograph my Grandmother whenever I can, so during my visit home this particular holiday season I asked my grandmother if I could document her in our front yard. She’s truly my favorite muse because during our shoots I always seem to experience other realms of a woman I thought I knew. She steps in front of a camera and she’s a star and she knows it. I love it. I love this calm, soft conviction that is somehow powerful. She’s still herself but she’s shedding a different light and I am grateful a lens allows me to experience these multitudes of her.
Jeremy Liebman
Bottega Veneta, Nike, The New Yorker, Google, Vanity Fair... Jeremy Liebman's list of credits merits an article in itself. The New York photographer's work is consistent only in a pervasive sense of whimsy and the striking personality he manages to capture in his portrait subjects.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
Being about 10 years old and complaining so much about having to go to a relative’s house that my parents let my twin brother and I stay home alone. We ordered pizza, played Nintendo, watched the Dallas Cowboys, and ate Oreo pie. It was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had, but I felt guilty for getting what I wanted.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
It’s a weird holiday—not quite the all-in, full-tilt feeling of Christmas, but still up there. Everyone takes at least half the week off so you kind of have to go along with it. It’s always been too close to Christmas for me to go home to Texas, so I usually spend it in New York with friends. So much of the holiday revolves around the meal, which I love, but the best part for me is the eerie stillness of the surrounding days.
Where and how did you take these images?
These were taken at our friends Sara and Clement Pascal's house upstate last year. Our kids are the same age and we’ve all become like family. We got turkey and sides from Marlow & Daughters and four pies from Petee's. We had an accident with the Brussels sprouts, but we ate them any way. The next day we went to Lego Land and almost froze to death. I love the chaos of family get togethers, and kids make everything so much more interesting and unpredictable. Now that I have kids, I like the excuse to turn holidays into more of an occasion, to make them a little more special.
Joshua Charow
New York documentary photographer and filmmaker Joshua Charow is a chronicler of the underexplored streets of his home city. Most recently, he published his first photography book, Loft Law. The Last of New York City's Original Artist Lofts, a three-year project capturing artist studios throughout the city, protected by an obscure bit of New York legislation.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
Being a young child, squeezing onto the couch with my family while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This was a yearly tradition in our home, and I was always on the lookout for Snoopy. My parents would usually begin cooking during the parade so the scents would float into the room. It’s a warm memory to look back on.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
Thanksgiving to me is just about family. Life is complicated, and I’ll take any excuse to spend time with loved ones.
Where and how did you take this image?
Since I moved to New York when I was 18, I’ve always found unusual ways to photograph the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This photograph was taken eight years ago from the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings alongside Central Park. This vantage point allowed me to photograph the parade going all the way up Central Park West. To my surprise, the only other people on the rooftop were two police officers stationed to keep an eye on everything from 60 stories up.
Kendall Bessent
Georgia native Kendall Bessent—based between his hometown, New York, and Los Angeles—was a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, and has since continued compiling an arresting body of work, including for clients like Netflix, the New York Times, and Puma.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
Driving down to Florida to celebrate with my dad's side of the family. It was a tradition that we did almost every year of my childhood.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
Joy. Traditionally food and communion have always brought my family together—no matter where we are in the world. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where my family comes from all over to meet in one place and celebrate. It's a time when we can catch up, love, and pour into each other. As I get older, I appreciate it so much more being that the elders of my family are starting to pass the torch along to the next generation. It teaches me the importance of preserving tradition and legacy.
Where and how did you take this image?
This image was taken at my grandmother's home in Conyers, Georgia. I was working on a personal project and through the process I realized that my mom, her siblings, and my grandmother never had a family photo. So leading up to this day I planned everything out to finally gift them a family photo.
Pia Riverola
Working across still life, landscape, architectural, and fashion photography, Pia Riverola brings vibrancy to even the most minimalistic subjects. Born in Barcelona, and based between Los Angeles and Mexico City, the photographer has worked with the likes of Merit, Vogue Mexico, The Wall Street Journal, and more.
What’s your earliest memory of Thanksgiving?
Probably watching Christina Ricci give her Thanksgiving speech in The Ice Storm. Still a favorite.
What feelings does the holiday evoke for you?
These days, it’s all about celebrating with friends who don’t have family close by. It’s a chance to come together and make our own traditions.
Where and how did you take this image?
I took it at my grandma’s house in Barcelona during a Thanksgiving in 2021. It was an away from home celebration while Covid was still going on.
