CCO: This is a picture of my husband and I, from a visit. It is in my home.

JD: It’s amazing because you’ve only ever known your husband during a time when he has been incarcerated, but this doesn’t look like a picture from a prison. That’s why I was drawn to it.

I knew I was never going to be able to get a picture of John in prison but I needed to bring him into the story.

CCO: He has his wedding ring on and we got married in August of 2011 so some time after that. We make photographs at nearly ever visit. I have a box full of pictures.

They call the picture taking “Click-click.” It’s prisoners operating the camera. Even during trailer visits, the prisoners buy the film and they bring the camera out to the trailer area.

Camryn and Candis prepare for their return journey. Photo: Jacobia Dahm/Redux

CCO: In this image I’m just trying to get my things together and ready for the trip back home. The suitcase is easy because its on rollers. If I am holding Camryn in my arms I can still pull the suitcase. Most people use suitcases on wheels.

This was a room we used to get dressed and cleaned up and things like that. It gave us a little bit of privacy and comfort in an uncomfortable situation. At one point, we weren’t allowed to use this room any more.

CCO: If I was going to Wyoming, the bus was $65 for round trip. A child was $35. Rest stop snacks. A food package, to leave, is $200. Monthly. [Visiting room] pictures are $2 each. And then food from the vending machine. A bag of chips that is 50 cents outside is a dollar inside. I’d usually spend between $25 and $40, depending if I am with the children. Sometimes as much as $400 per trip.

Camryn looks out of the bus window, at the start of the return journey to New York city. Photo: Jacobia Dahm/Redux

CCO: In this picture, we’re just leaving the prison. I don’t really tell Camryn much about John’s situation. She says “I want to see my daddy, I want to go to dad’s house.” I don’t explain that he’s incarcerated. My son on the other hand is older and understands. But Camryn just thinks of it as daddy’s house.

Back then she wasn’t used to him. She’d cry. One, John didn’t want her coming up that much because she was so young. Two, she was young and she had a close bond with me and my mother, but she didn’t see John often so she didn’t have that bond with him. It hurt him. She was hurt because she didn’t understand who he was.

But now it’s so funny because everything is “I’m going to see my daddy.” Every time we put on coats, she asks, “Are we going to my dad’s house?” This is a child that didn’t have a relationship and now everything is “My daddy.”

JD: Theres’ something very subdued about the visits. People keep very much to themselves, on the way up even more than on the way back. On the return, there’s a sense of relief and joy also, but people very much keep to themselves. It’s not like people have strong bonds with other visitors.

CCO: Trusting people is a big thing in general but when it comes to incarceration there’s so many things. Some visitors bring in narcotics, for example, so even associating yourself with someone you don’t know [can bear risks]. People keep to themselves because they don’t want to risk being involved in something like that.

Another person might keep to themselves because their spouse has told them not to talk to anyone. There’s a lot of reasons. Some people simply don’t like others in their business and having a loved one inside is not an easy thing. People are judgmental.

When Jacobia’s photos were first published I shared them on Facebook and a lot of people did not know I had a husband in prison. They knew about my brother in prison but not John. They said “Wow, you’re a brave person to share this.” Prison happens. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Most incarcerated people aren’t locked up for something they did yesterday. They’re locked up for something they did years and years ago; things they did when they were young and not thinking. Yes, you must pay for your mistakes, that’s part of it but I’m not going to be ashamed. It’s growth.