Patrick, 35, professional chef, single

Q: Who are the people in your photos?
A: My dog, my grandmother, my sister, my friend, my mom, and all my siblings.

Q: Why did you take these pictures?
A: The first one is me and my dog. At first we were wrestling, but then it turned into cuddles. The shot with my friend was just making sure that I documented the day out having fun. The one with my grandmother was taken when things were good, but a few years later, my grandfather died, she remarried really quickly, and kind of disappeared. The last one is all of us trolling my mom and her irrational fear that her children will get tattoos, so of course, we all did. (They're fake.)

Q: What will these photos mean when you look back on them years later?
A: The one with my dog will be a hard one to look at after he's gone. I hate thinking about it. He's my family right there. The one with my friend- she came along when I was low and needed someone. It reminds me that she's such a good friend. The one with my grandmother reminds me to treasure the connections you have. The last one is so fun, and just reminds me of the connection I have with my siblings to annoy our parents.

Q: Do you think the term "family" has a static meaning, or can it evolve?
A: Family isn't just your blood relatives- in fact, sometimes those people aren't your family at all. It's the people who bring out the best in you and the people you stay connected to no matter the time or distance.