I usually focus on the eyes ... you know - enter the soul, see the truth, be the ball ...
The eyes can smile, they can be sad, they tell the truth
I enjoy photographing children; It's their eyes. I see their happiness, innocence, wonder and too often sadness. But in it all I see their hope. Even if they don't know it yet, they have hope.
Recently I spent some time looking at family portraits that I've done and I noticed the eyes of the Grand Mothers. Surrounded by their childern and grand children I see a mixture pride and sadness. There isn't a lot of energy left and very little hope.
This smile is Mary, one of my favorite people to photograph. She is hope - full of hope - Hope is her... and I know that her life is full of sadness. All she has ever asked me is to "whiten my teeth" (not done to this image...sorry Mary) and when I do, it's the first thing she mentions.
I love to see hope, I tell people to hope, to go to that place of hope when they are being photographed...and every time they smile. Hope is all yours, don't lose hope.
