Circles

Today, I photographed a birth. I saw a human being breathe air for the first time. It was the first portrait session that has ever made me cry to the point that I had trouble focusing. And it was a huge honor.

Today I also read the deeply moving tribute that my cousin Leah wrote about her Grandmother (my great Aunt Isabel) who has recently passed. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to get to know her. But it made me think about my own Grandmother's passing. How one day she was there. The next day, she was not. She had overcome countless obstacles in her long life. She had been strong, unwavering, determined. Way ahead of her time, she had even been The Lieutenant Commander. Then one day she was fragile, and flew away.

Today I'm feeling the circle of things. Maybe I'm also feeling melancholy and sentimental. I spent the evening going through old photographs, in the big bin. We all have them, don't we? The big bin? The one that sits unassumingly in your attic or basement. Mostly ignored, and taken for granted, it stores all your treasure memories. Summer camp. That boy. That note. That time. The way she laughed. The big bin stores the tangible evidence of your minutes. Just in case you forget. Because in the end, it's just not about the shutterspeed, or photoshop, or those cool new actions you just bought. In the end, all that matters is the Remembering.

Want to share your favorites? The ones that help you remember? 

One Sweet Shot - February 2008

Hooray, it's our very first One Sweet Shot post! I've been so looking forward to this. To kick it off, I am featuring my nomination as the main photo today. I find this shot by Amy McMullen (dear friend and sister of the shutter) to be irresistible. Hi Amy!  I won't go on and on because there are a lot of other incredible shots that you all nominated so I will leave you to your clicking. Enjoy!

Sarah Ji nominated this shot by quixoticpixels

Krystyn nominated this shot by thrivestyle

Irene nominated this shot by tae**co

Kate nominated this shot by sweet juniper *

Paige nominated this shot by cherieyost

Andrea nominated this shot by Officially a Mom

Nicky Thomas nominated this series by Schneiderlotte

Give it a Try nominated this shot at Lisas Chaos

Danielle nominated this shot at all things DB

Michelle nominated this shot by Carissa

Princess Granola nominated this shot by Emily S .

Meg nominated this shot by PutYourFlareOn

She Saw Things nominated this shot by pumpkinlittle

gemkathleen nominated this shot at centricphotography (fourth from the top)

socalmom nominated this shot by drumsnwhistles

saramoon nominated this shot by sheyerosemeyer

sheri reed nominated this shot by camerashymomma

camerashymomma nominated this shot by costalgirlimage

beebee mod nominated this shot by ashleymcnamaraphotography

jennifer hunter nominated this shot by raquita

leslie nominated this shot by soul sparkle spirit  

lemony webbles nominated this pair by liza-bean  &

maile nominated this shot at Put Your Flare On.

......................................

*congrats to Jim - a.k.a. Dutch of Sweet Juniper - for being the very first male to be

featured here on the Sisters site. Kate has dubbed you our first

official 'Shudder Brudder' (that's toddlerese). We hope you're cool with that Dutch.

THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING!

macro

A newborn fern reaches, twists to bask in the single beam of sun that penetrates the rainforest canopy, a spotlight.

Dew on leaf and nectar supped by butterfly. Sweat on the glass brim of a summer martini. With the macro lens on my 1970s-era Pentax I was dwarfed by worlds within worlds, transported hands-first into shimmering giantness, enveloped. Wrapped in more life and light and vividness than I’d ever known existed—that which could only be discerned by getting really. close. up.

Happily engulfed by the otherworld inside a macro lens, the big outside mattered less.

++++++

I don’t have so much diversity to offer these days. Not what's botanical and artistic and profound aside from what lives and dances and giggles inside these four walls, this small house on the edge of a seasalty coast, these two boys, this mama’s life.

So week after week it’s the first kid, then the second. Then the first, then the second. And I’m sorry for that and feel entirely humbled by all of you and the gorgeousness in the pool but 1) there is an ice-storm outside, oppressive and bone-chilling and not so welcoming for baby-laden photo excursions; and 2) in the effort of capturing my boys I find the same vividness, the same meditation as before.

These days, I’m macro-less. But camera pointed at these faces, the wonder returns.

Wishing I could crawl in between those eyelashes, turn around and see from his vantage point how the world looks, as he studies it.

You don’t mind, do you?

++++++

This week, I’d love to see your favourite macro shots. Tide me over until light and weather and childcare and disposable income and a good deal on a lens conspire to set me loose among the dewy ferns again.

Gimme a dose, willya?

The subject

 

Since he was too young even for outfits I’ve dressed him up, my doll. Propped him, snapped fingers, yodeled—all to preserve him just as he is at that moment, the current version of himself always on the edge of obsolescence, the six-month old giving way for the nine-month old, the younger never to be seen again, and so on.

He hears the click and sighs. “No pictures. I am BUSY.”

I’ve resorted to chocolate chip bribery, but already he is too cool for me.

And as fate would have it, this photographic reluctance is just as his eyes sparkle with the mystery of his own opinion on things, with the wonder of his own senses of humour, injustice, adventure.

Just the very sparkle I’m after.

Dang.

Traditions

This year, my daughter is three years old, and all of the year-end holidays, from Thanksgiving through the New Year, seem to now finally have meaning for her.  For this reason, I find myself obsessed lately with developing traditions -- little rituals to help make the season as special to her as it is for me.  So I've been doing a bit of research, asking around and finding out what makes the holidays special:

I love the stuffing we have at Thanksgiving -- with the water chestnuts... 

Water chestnuts in stuffing?  Please.  I'm Italian.  Sausage.  The stuffing needs sausage.

I remember opening our presents on Christmas morning ...

Morning?!  You mean Christmas EVE, right?  It's just not right to open them any other time! 

 Hmm.  So it appears that people hold their traditions pretty dear.

For me, I'm starting small:  prompted by some angel ornaments I seem to have collected over the years, I've decided that each year, I'm going to buy a new angel ornament.  The one above is one of my favourites.

Still, I could do with some inspiration -- what's your favourite holiday tradition?  Better still, feel free to share links to your photos illustrating this tradition, below.