When famed photographer Christina Eames dies unexpectedly, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae, hurt, angry and full of questions. When Mae finds a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box, she soon finds herself delving into her mother's early life -- an investigation that leads to an unexpected romance with a rising journalist.

The Photograph is a sweeping exploration of the power of positive imaging of black identity in Harlem, New York City. The picture of his grandfather, made hundred years ago by now renowned African-American photographer James Van Der Zee, leads the filmmaker back to Harlem, where he explores the visibility of the residents of this New York borough.