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

[Emily]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/i_love_photography/3209066947/

I love the contrast between a parent's hand and a toddlers, especially a dad and son.

Happy Monday!

[Jaime de la Cruz]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aslansland/3192705374/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aslansland/3159105133/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aslansland/sets/72157610655176309/

I have three here......my favorite thing to photo...the hands!

[Blazey]

Across the generations.

http://flickr.com/photos/blazeyphotography/2957587528/in/set-72157606059217017/

[CarrieJ]

I am sure I have more pics of hands, but this is the one that popped into my head immediately. It is the most recent. My daughter brought me a flower, which happened to be from one of my Grandfather's camelia bushes. I always feel so close to him when I am in his yard. He loved the trees and bushes so!!

http://flickr.com/photos/59369873@N00/3204816793/

and I love my little preemie's hands here. He looks so serene, just waiting for Mommy and Daddy to be able to take him home.

http://flickr.com/photos/59369873@N00/3191133539/in/photostream/

[crystine]

I have always loved hands. I remember as a child that the only thing that got me through a church service was examining my mothers hands...detail by minute detail. As a momma now myself I was in awe of my sons hands as he would dreamily awaken at night. They would float and dance above his head as though in water...thank goodness I am a light sleeper.
Today we had rainbows. Always a good thing in my book. Generally they can be hard to catch but not so today..
http://flickr.com/photos/23187215@N07/3211288441/

[Deanna]

Dad & my little one were playing around when I snapped this photo...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/buneluvr/3212187558/

[brandi]

my very favorite picture of my hands:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/2521578554/

and then the one where I decided I didn't need my thumb anymore...lol
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/3192994792/

[mamie]

i took this for my 52 weeks project but i was struck by the fact that my hand was empty. this is a rare occurrence these days.

http://flickr.com/photos/16401019@N00/3213744228/

[jennie lee]

yes, i agree--hands tell so much stories. and they're so graceful to look at, whether they're old or young, smooth or wrinkled...

when i was in india, people kept coming up to me to admire my hands. they say i have such long fingers, and that it is a sign of being creative. i have my doubts on such sayings, but it gives me a happy feeling to believe in that :o)

picture of hands in india: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinita_jill/2091357623/in/set-72157600074073145/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinita_jill/2092140702/in/set-72157600074073145/

picture of a hand in beijing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinita_jill/3215494202/

[shirbit]

My mother's hands, http://www.flickr.com/photos/32528287@N03/3214690285/

[Kizz]

My most recent hand shot. I've always loved people's hands.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31403417@N00/3207390828/in/set-72157612533516613/

[jill]

What a coincidence... I was playing AT THE BEACH (sorry to those living in the cold weater, us Californians are so annoying like that) last weekend, trying to figure out how to make a heart with my hands with the view of the sun and ocean in the background... AND take a picture. I guess I really needed 3 hands.

I enlisted the help of my 7 year old niece... we sort of got it accomplished!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/justjill/3214000349/

[marybethvolpini]

life in your hands...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marybethvolpini/3216187328/

[Diane]

My big boy's hands...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackvilleroad/3214695135/

[Steph]

I'm amazed at how much my children's hands look like mine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tcymom/3214637519/

[sarah]

a few hands from my photostream. i'm inspired to take more!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/2788130137/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/2844173735/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/3046709761/

[Aubrey]

My hands. My husband says they look like an old Ladies. My mom, says that I was born with "old" hands. She considers me an old soul. I see them in my youngest daughter. And I am happy for her.
Here is a post with a photo of my Hands High Hopes for the future:

http://aubreyplays.blogspot.com/2009/01/high-five.html

[Stephanie]

I've always loved this photo of my best friend''s hands:
http://flickr.com/photos/32835633@N04/3217647253/
And this one. Although it's just a photo of my hands, to me it tells a whole story about the changes in my life the past year:
http://flickr.com/photos/32835633@N04/3217668765/

[Stephanie (Khya)]

I love hands! This comes at a good time as I'm trying to do a series of hands and precious objects. Thanks for the challenge!

http://khya.typepad.com/khyas_journal/2009/01/preciousssss.html

[Kace]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kace_chalmers/3219974741/

I love this photo of my newborn's hand. It's now soft and pudgy and childlike and won't have thin, wrinkled fingers again until she's much, much older.

[Maya v.]

Buddha's hand....open and welcoming.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayangsari/3010568469/

[Sheryl]

I took this of my husbands hands awhile ago, but still love it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsoonaz3/2213075277/in/set-72157603608758359/

[Jabelico]

Yes! I am also a lover of the small, but enormous things of this life...thank you!


http://www.redbubble.com/people/jabelico/art/1930650-8-hands-of-an-artist

http://www.redbubble.com/people/jabelico/art/1836342-8-t-r-u-s-t

[Wanda]

My hands at rest: http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com/2009/01/love-thursday-continued-on-friday.html

[Martha]

I love my mother's hands:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14756941@N08/3256604995/

[Megan (Trees & Bees Photog)]

Here is one of my favorite hands photos, of a preemie holding her mama's hand.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marleysmama/2794552027/in/set-72157604459932241/

[Heather246]

These hands belong to two of my little boys. Brothers. Best Friends.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36677128@N02/3382696022/

[Amber]

I love my daughter's hands. She does so many wonderful things with them!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/westars3/3376159433/in/set-72157615770078188/