Genuineness

Genuineness (noun): the act of being true, unaffected, open, honest, forthright

One of the best ways to find real genuineness (yes, it's a real word!) is to go on vacation.  When you have the ability to escape your day-to-day life and get away from it all, genuineness will most definitely occur.  I just got back from a week-long, spring break vacation with 4 other families.  This is one of the best times that I love to photograph my friends and loved ones. Every single smile I capture is authentic and real.  No one is worried about their hair and make-up being just right and even those men who usually look so uncomfortable in photographs will pose willingly for me.  I don't worry about getting that 'great shot' or about composing the photo 'just right'.  Instead, I just take pictures for the sheer pleasure of taking pictures. 

When all was said and done, I came home with over 400 photos.  As I went through them all, one thing was evident: genuineness.  It was in the smiles, the expressions and in the laughter that I heard all week long.  I couldn't not share with everyone so I made a slideshow for them, letting them see the genuineness of it all, too.  As I state in my slideshow, whether or not it is clear to us, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. The evidence is plain to see.

How about you? Do you have a photo from something or somewhere or someone that shows true genuineness? Please share.  We'd love to see them.

Family Traditions

If there's one family tradition that has not changed since my daughter was born, it's Easter dinner with my in-laws.  My daughter has been asking every day for the past month when it will be Easter, and I can't tell you how relieved I am finally to be able to tell her, "TODAY!"

Documenting family traditions as they happen every year is a great way to take stock of our lives' journeys--how far we've come, where we are now, how much the kids have changed and grown, how much WE'VE changed and grown.  No matter what traditions you may incorporate into your lives, there is something sacred and meaningful about them, and as photographers, it is a gift to our loved ones and to ourselves to capture these images year after year.

Please share with us today glimpses into your own family or personal traditions, whether it's something as simple as cooking together, unique to your culture or a lovely childhood memory.

Our Legacy in Photos

This is my great-aunt Sallie Myrtle Cook, born in 1896. I have just begun to start researching my family tree and I came across this photo of my great-aunt which I found online.  When I saw this photo for the first time, it hit me just how important old photos of any kind can be.  I myself have hundreds of old family photos going back to probably the 1930s, but nothing earlier.  Suddenly, the need to preserve my family photos is more important than ever.  We are lucky that being in the 21st century, it's easier than ever to do.  Still, I'm thankful to those family members before me who kept those old shoeboxes full of old photographs. 

How about you?  Do you have shoeboxes full of old photos tucked away in a closet somewhere or yellowing in an old photo album?  Have any thoughts of what you may do with them? Who knows, maybe one day someone will find one of your old photos when researching their family tree!

the first day

In Brazil, where I was born,  we have several New Year traditions that are followed by pretty much everyone in the country. On New Year's Eve we all dress in white for good luck, peace, purity, a clean slate and the possibility to start anew.  Then, just before midnight, we all gather somewhere along the four thousand miles of the Atlantic coastline, jump seven waves, throw flowers into the sea, light candles, make wishes and say prayers. This custom comes from the mix of African and Indian cultures developed in Brazil.  The belief is that Yemanja, the queen of the ocean and the feminine principle of creation, will bring us good luck and make all our wishes come true.

While that is my favorite way to close one year and start another, I was happy to enter 2010 by jumping seven waves and walking along Ocean beach in San Francisco with my husband. The scenery was misty, hazy and somewhat mysterious. The fluffy foam on the sand looked like heavenly clouds, reminding me once again that right here, in the first day of a year's journey, where the earth meets the sky, anything is possible.

I'm curious to know... Do you and your family have any New Year traditions? And are you in for the 365 project? What did your first day of the year look like?

angel

I'm lucky to have a spouse that is often a willing participant in my artistic endeavors. Occasionally I have a slightly off-the-wall idea and John is usually the one I turn to for help. In this case, it went something like this..."so I was thinking that we should go in the backyard and take pictures of each other making snow angels in a foot of snow. And by the way it's 5 degrees outside" Not only did my husband gladly take part in my little project, but also climbed over the railing of our deck and jumped backwards into the yard so he wouldn't make any footprints in the unmarred snow. But what we didn't really realize was that this particular snow had a thick layer of icy crust on top. So when John fell backwards to create his snow angel, his limbs just sort of stuck there all bent in every direction and he reminded me of the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. I think our whole neighborhood heard my laughter. Eventually he was able to break through the crust and make the classic snow angel. And while my vision didn't exactly match the outcome, it ended up being a memorable moment and a I got a pretty cool souvenir. I ended up turning this little diptych into to/from tags for Christmas gifts this year and they seemed to be a big hit amongst friends and family.

Do you have a willing model? Someone who will humor you when you have an idea for a photo?