It's 2011 and I'm back. Spent time with family in NJ for the holidays, and had a great time sitting fireside, walking cold country roads, photographing wintry landscapes, spending a fun afternoon in Manhattan, and of course, doing a bit of job hunting.
I've got plenty of photos on the way in the next few days, but for the moment here are just a few I didn't take.
One of the things I did while at my parents' house was take on the task of scanning a mountain of family photos dating back as early as the early 20th century. I made a small dent. But among the ones I did digitize, these three stood out: the first two of my grandmother and the third of my parents.
I never had the pleasure of knowing my grandmother Genevieve, who passed away four years before I was born, but I love the simple glamour of these two portraits. Particularly the first image. It's just a snapshot really, but it's a perfect example of making the ordinary extra-ordinary. It's something every photographer can strive for, and achieve.
Sometimes photographers get so wrapped up in trying to come up with some face-meltingly awesome new concept for a portrait that we forget there's a lot to be said for a simple tilt of the head and a smile.
I like this snapshot of my parents (taken by my photographer grandfather) from the mid-60s, mostly for its candid, relaxed nature. It makes me smile to look at it. I owe so much to my father and mother. Through the years they have continued to be thoroughly supportive and exemplary. In a world gone mad, they've been a light. Thanks, mom and dad!
