Superhero Photo Challenge: Hands

I've always been a hands person. Thinking about any friend I have, I can very clearly conjure up an image of their hands. Some are strong and look like they could do many hours of work in the hot sun, others are more delicate and gentle, with long fingers and painted nails. One friend of mine has so many lines crisscrossing all over her hands, that she is surely an old soul. And then there are Ben's toddler hands, that are like little starfish exploring the world.

One of my all time favorite photos of hands is a shot that Jen Lemen posted on this site (with a beautiful story) And oh my goodness, in the Shutter Sisters pool on flickr are some of the most stunning photos of hands... wow people! This week's challenge is to explore photographing hands.

I am moved by how much hands can say in a photo, how much love can be transmitted by a gentle squeeze, how much life they can hold. There is a Rumi quote I love: Look at your eyes. They are small, but they see enormous things. I think the same goes for hands. They are small, but they hold enormous things.

Comments

[Cor]

'little starfish exploring the world'....i love that.
great photo.

"long time reader, first time commenter!"

[Cheryl Doran-Girard]

I, too, like making images of hands--

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheryldoran-girard/3170021934/

[Shawna]

The first memory I have of meeting my husband (I usually forget first encounters, I regret to say) are of his hands. Soft and dimply, not like my own knobbly, spindly and cracked knuckle hands. I have a feeling this topic will make great fodder to get me through another week of 365. Thanks for the challenge!

[kosenrufu mama]

THANK YOU FOR THIS CHALLENGE, ALWAYS A WONDERFUL INSPIRATION FOR ME!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23206424@N07/3202944227/
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/

[brittany]

i love these chubby little hands and all of the exploring they do. so busy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/3175169112/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/2734410595/

[Missy]

I posted just last week about my little collection of photos of my son's hands:

http://huggingthemidline.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/touched.html

[Kath]

My own hands are starting to look like my mother's hands. I catch flashes of her hands in mine, especially when I'm peeling vegetables or knitting. When I remember my father, I remember his hands first, then his face. He had hard working hands.

[sandi]

As a manicurist, I have seen many, many hands. All so different. Here is a photo of some tiny ones. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandis_art/3203033695/

[marty]

My kids hands...always so quick to reach out...I love the way they see with their hands...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyhadding/2956377801/in/set-72157604577077366/

[camerashymomma]

i am also a hand person. knowing who someone is by the familiarity of their hands. these photos are a great inspiration as i feel that my hands have changed recently. here's an old photo i wanted to share, but i'll work on this over the weekend. thanks for the inspiration!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2462009821/

[benzismama]

I have a flickr series dedicated to hands and things being held. I'd like to add more to it soon. Thanks for the inspiration!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/benzismama/sets/72157607229551034/

[Tracey Clark]

Really sweet post Andrea.
I can't help but be reminded of this-
http://shuttersisters.com/home/2008/10/8/a-likeness.html
.

[owlhaven]

Here are the hands of my superhero mama and my oldest daughter!

http://www.owlhaven.net/2009/01/17/my-mothers-hands/

And here are the hands of my oldest daughter and her fiance' admiring her new ring!

http://www.owlhaven.net/2009/01/01/the-ring/

[Andie]

I read this post early this morning as I had been up painting most the night. Here is a pic of my hands:
http://wifemotherpainter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/been-busy.html
a.

[Jeannie]

I wish I had some hand pics; I take photos of feet on the beach!

However, the loveliest hand picture I've seen lately is one I saw just yesterday. I encourage you to visit www.nieniedialogues.com and possibly ask Stephanie Nielson for permission to include her photo here.

If nothing else, please visit her site. It's beautiful and poignant and fits perfectly with your topic.

Love your site. Now I need a better camera!

[Denese]

My grandson moves his hands in exactly the same way my son did when he was little. He splays them out behind him when he's very intently inspecting something on the ground.

http://dlouisianat.blogspot.com/2008/12/few-of-my-favorite-things.html

picture # 12

[Kristin]

Hands have also become a new phase for me as well, although I've been focusing on my own hands for my 365 blog! This inspires me to focus on some of the other hands that I am surrounded by as well. Its funny how it is impossible for me to come to this site and NOT be inspired in one way or another:)

http://mothershand.blogspot.com/

[Dory]

This musician taught himself to do calligraphy backwards to create art work to sell at resorts in Ghana, supplementing what he made leading choirs to support his family. I made him laugh as I took many photographs of his hands as he worked and we talked about life, gifts, faith, family and the meaning of our names.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorothyf/2504228426/in/set-72157605132466189/

[Diane Schuller]

I too have always been intrigued by hands. I seldom see other people so that's why my photos reflect only my landscape, my home, and animals. Rarely do I ever see other people (except my husband). I can go weeks, sometimes months without seeing another human being. If I lived in the city I would be taking photos of humans all the time! I'll try to do a one day road trip this week if it warms up and see if I can sneak a few photos of strangers hands. Either that or my husband is going to have his hands photographed a lot :)

Diane
www.albertaphotography.wordpress.com/

[Marcy]

I took this a few weeks ago, commemorating me and my husband's 5th wedding anniversary.

http://flickr.com/photos/mightymarce/3165196768/in/set-72157611977506299/

[Just Jinny]

My husbands hands..as they have always been and probably will always be.

http://realworldgirl.blogspot.com/2009/01/superhero-photo-challenge-hands.html

[Kelly]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3203590643/in/pool-shuttersisters

Hands that are too still.

[laura-dolcepics]

I love those images you linked to and yours as well. I haven't done hand detail shots in a while but I really should.

http://www.dolcepics.com/dailypic/daddys-touch/

[mary]

here is a self-portrait:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9068078@N05/2493139550/

[Toni]

I love baby hands - so pudgy and soft and sweet.

http://dailyvignette.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/what-child-is-this/

This will be an fun challenge and I'll have to see what I can get during the week.

[spread your wings]

that's a beautiful and touching photo.

my daughter took this of herself and her boyfriend - i love everything about it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterxdown/1368397882/

[vanessa]

i love that quote! this is one of my favorite wedding photos...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3203824157_059b7c4b00.jpg

[Liz]

i wanted to show my hands after painting. not the best photo, but it shows off the paint!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/3069633521/in/set-72157608993525565/

piano hands:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/1231979707/in/set-72157594587515983/

i was inspired to take these after seeing my roommate's pictures of her hands in black volcanic sand in hawaii:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2985179333/in/set-72157601163338911/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2986035338/in/set-72157601163338911/

i should take some more....

[Secret Agent Mama]

My favorite hand shot is this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/secretagentmama/2382107997/in/set-72157604353907050/

[elianne]

http://zus.my-expressions.com/archives/10864_1427783206/286129

[Rebecca]

I've always been obsessed with hands. I can remember my affection for my little sister's chubby short fingered hands when we were little and now I try to preserve my children's hands with any and every hand craft I find.
This photo was taken when my youngest was 3 and we were picking strawberries. You can see the stains at the tip of each finger. Oh how I love it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rslaflam/3204427657/?addedcomment=1#comment72157612692754662

[kristin]

total accident that i shot this today... but it fits. so yay!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/3204180385/

[Suvarna]

Oh I am looking forward to this challenge, here are some older shots for now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10751420@N07/1384474718/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10751420@N07/2992565737/

[Bonnie]

He fell down and landed on his hands on the driveway. Look at his face behind the hands. Poor baby!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonniebythebay/3205537746/in/photostream/

[Geri]

I love images of hands too. I've heard that artists say they are the hardest thing to draw.

[Chris]

I absolutely love photographing hands, especially those of the elderly or small children. My grandma is a favorite subject for me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeroldssis/3205972192/

[Molly Merrick]

I love it! Here's a whole set filled with photos of hands:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_merrick/sets/72157608242615875/

Some of my favorites are my mother's hands:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_merrick/2678585506/in/set-72157608242615875/

And these hands of some of my friends:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_merrick/137704672/in/set-72157608242615875/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_merrick/2957128462/in/set-72157608242615875/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_merrick/2957128462/in/set-72157608242615875/

[Jacque Braun]

My hands and my (then) 7 year old son's hands together.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/braunalog/394623592/sizes/m/in/set-72157603196018189/

[Cindy]

hands of a great grandpa
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atechsan/3196705181/

hands of a bride and her mom.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atechsan/3196701415/

[Suzanne]

Here's my attempt. It's not the perfect photo and only my third self-portrait, but it's strange how emotional taking a simple picture of my own hands turned out to be.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33156612@N07/3206625375/in/pool-shuttersisters

[maz]

Dancing Hands......http://divingforpearls.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/dancing-through-life.html

[bleachusd]

I'm right there with the hand lovin'... I once went through a meditation on hands that I find myself continuously returning to year after year.

"Think of all the hands you have touched and how much they have left an imprint on you. Handprints are actually heartprints that can never be erased. The hand has its own memory. When you touch someone or are touched by someone, you exchange hearts with each other. Think of all the places that carry your handprints and all the people who bear your heartprint. They are permanent, and will last forever."

So profound.

http://flickr.com/photos/bleach226/1695544998/

[jenny murray]

This is a fun challenge. I hope it's okay that my hands photo is part of a diptych...

http://flickr.com/photos/lipseyebrows/3189818721/

[JoAnne]

Thanks for the inspiration...my kids were playing with clay today and I missed the photo op because my hands were covered in clay. Jordan, my 7 year old daughter consented to pose after the fact.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31299004@N02/3207381175/in/pool-shuttersisters

[CartwheelsAtMidnight/Paige]

What a great post and I almost missed it! I have 2 hand photos that I love and speak deeply to me:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cartwheelsatmidnight/2885313334/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cartwheelsatmidnight/3124446358/in/set-72157611395475615/

I couldn't pick just one.

[Christy]

I got a rare opportunity tonight. Come and see!

http://yankeeinontario.blogspot.com/2009/01/hands-are-for-loving.html

[Amy Kingman]

This is my favorite hand photo, taken of my grandma's hands while we made candy together for Christmas. They're two of the hardest working hands I know.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimabo/3116840232/in/set-72157611370806734/

[Sharon]

First I got this picture of my friend showing my son how to play guitar. I never think to zero in on hands, but this time I did:

http://flickr.com/photos/queenofsheba/3207386030/

Next, I read this post. It must be kismet. I am up to the challenge of focusing on hands this week!

[Melissa (Photomom86)]

love hands - they really do tell their own story

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24035778@N04/3208498696/

[Vanessa]

little boy hands making beautiful offerings: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/2920725031/in/set-72157607454224383/