We took the Airstream and spent a couple days in Florence this week visiting with my mom, my aunt Dolores and my great aunt Zelma (who will be 100 years old in August!) We did a quick portrait session in Zelma's living room before we left, and I thought I'd show you what I got.
The first two are the "keepers" as far as family is concerned (I think) but the third one has that extra something that I just love…it may be my favorite. The directness, the strength…she reminds me of an Alice Neel painting.
This is the first time I've ever photographed someone without sight. The idea of eye contact (something I usually think about quite a bit for the final shot) really changes since Zelma was mainly making connection with my voice instead of with the camera or my face. Would you know from the photo, or not?
Kevin and I had a nice time fixing dinner for everyone at the Airstream one night and kept Zelma up late drinking wine with us. Okay maybe Zelma only had one drink and we all had, um…more. It was a blast listening to her fabulous stories. Wish I'd had a video recorder going.
(Posted by Laura)
WOW!!! I couldn’t love you MORE! Zelma could see you perfectly well. Hearing? sound? HA! the intuition of living a hundred years….or a couple of thousand and one hundred and many lifetimes. What a beautiful american looking woman, a founding mother.
GORGEOUS capture.
Jojo
HeirsDreamTravel
JoJo, thank you so much!! And yes you’re spot on about the intuition. She’s incredible. Wish I had been able to do a portrait like this of her sister (my grandmother) before she died. (She was 90 when she died but I was a painter then…and not portraits dangit!)
Oh Laura, those are fabulous! I’m so glad you took these.
~ Laura
Great pictures!
OH MY GOSH. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE FIRST ONE WHERE AUNT ZELMA IS SMILING. LAURA, YOU CAPTURED HER ESSENCE, HER SPIRIT. SHE IS SUCH A KIND AND GENEROUS WOMAN, STRONG WOMAN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THESE PHOTO’S.
CHRIS
Laura, I told mom and dad about your beautiful pictures you took of Aunt Zelma. They don’t have a computer. Is there any way I could send the pictures to them?
Cuz Jill
Hi Jill: You could probably print these out from a screen grab (if they were small prints) and mail them…or if you want to print larger, just let me know and I can send you some bigger jpegs. Would either of those options work? xoL