This is what 70 looks like!? Our birthdays are one day apart and we usually celebrate them together.? In honor of my mom finishing 70 years on the planet – I present portraits of her that celebrate the amazing and beautiful woman she is.
My own experience photographing her I was connecting to her and she to me in a different way.? Still full of laughter and joy, but with my camera in my hand.
EMBRACING AGING
I have photographed my mother before, many times. She patiently stood as model for me 20 years ago when I first figured out how to use my Pentax K100.? She and my dad sat still for me when I learned how to use my first 4×5 camera. She allowed me to photograph everything (except the surgery) when she donated her kidney to her sister.
Last weekend, over a cup of Red Rose tea, I realized that I wanted to commemorate this milestone. For her, for my dad and also for me.? In celebration of her 70th birthday, I invited her over to to the studio to take a modern glamour portrait. She was game! Here are some of my favorites from her mature glamour portrait session.
As you can see, my mom is full of smiles, and laughter.? Against her silver hair I wanted to add more silver and grey grey tones.? I found and bought a sequined shrug I knew would look great on her. And it does!? She paired it with a pearl necklace I made. I used window light and a big reflector to capture her in this beautiful, soft light.
LOOKING FORWARD
As I get older, I have had the profound recognition of the privilege it is to have loving parents.? Along with my father, she has been part of a support system who is always full of love, ready for fun and sharing experiences. ? At 70, my mother is healthy and active. Even if she?s shrinking just a little, she?s swimming and practicing yoga, eager to get to her Zumba class and enroll in classes through the UMASS OLLI program.? She?s as vital as ever. 70 just doesn?t look old to me anymore.
She is an ageless beauty.
She is a remarkable woman.
She is my mother.
GRATITUDE FOR WHAT SHE TAUGHT ME
We went for lunch after her portrait session.? She shared with me a story about her sense of self.? I didn?t know I was short until someone told me I was short.? Even though she had terrible acne and braces as a teenager it wasn?t until her mother told her that ?one day, she?d be a beautiful woman? what she ever considered that she wasn?t pretty.
Vanity was not one of the things my mother imparted.? She modeled for me the importance of feeling good as expressed by the things we did together as a family, by the joy of travel, of meeting people, of eating popcorn for dinner while we watched baseball games and time spend alone in personal pursuits.? She didn?t mark external achievements as much as internal ones. She wanted for me to be fulfilled, and happy with my life. She taught me to love my life.
GIFT IDEAS FOR MOM
I cherish the images I have of my mother, from the candid family snapshots to my early experiments.? Now as an experienced photographer, I am able to make a beautiful portraits of my mother that I will proudly place among the other family portrait wall collage.
Many of the portraits I have of my mom were at family events. But this shoot was all about her – and it was about the time we spent together to make it happen. The portraits focused on capturing her personality and our relationship.? Portraits can contain emotions that are hard to express in other ways.
Should you gift portraits to your mother? To your family?? It?s a fun experience for the person being photographed, the muse!? And the result of that experience is a series of fine art portraits that you and your family will treasure and love.
Interested in capturing the beautiful spirit of your mother or grandmother???
Call me at 617-942-1449 to chat about your ideas for your Mother?s Day gift.
Modern Glamour is the women?s portrait division of Ars Magna Studio run by artist and photographer Allana Taranto.? I view each shoot as a collaboration, and value connecting with my clients to work together to make their dream glamour portraits happen.
Call me at 617-942-1449 to chat about ideas for your or your mom’s modern glamour portraits.
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