FATHERHOOD THROUGH THE LANGUAGE OF SCENT
NICK HUDSON
In celebration of Father’s Day, we spoke with New York–based photographer Nick Hudson about exploring fatherhood through the language of scent — sharing memories both of his father and as a father himself.
Scenting rituals passed down by your father —
"I remember being about ten or eleven, watching my father apply oil to his damp skin after a shower. The scent of the oil—warm, earthy, a little sharp—has stayed with me.
I can still picture the way water beaded and ran over the back of his shoulder, catching the light. To this day, I still prefer oil to moisturizer after a shower—maybe because it feels like a small ritual I inherited from him."
A scent you hope your children will remember you by —
"I hope to inspire a love of nature in my children. For them to recall a scent in nature that they connect to memories of time spent with me would be an honour."
Fatherhood in three words —
Humbling
Clarifying
Transformative
surprises about becoming a father —
"Many things have surprised me about being a father. I like the way my brain has been changing, not just my outlook or mindset, but something deeper. Like a hard drive upgrade.
What has surprised me a lot is the way other parents seem to be more receptive and open, the way they look deeper and longer into your eyes. Complete strangers sometimes connect in a way that is quite intimate."
