Faces - The Gallery

I was glad that we had extra time for The Gallery this week. I really wanted to take part because I loved the theme (and I rather like the idea of the Kodak Pulse but that is another story) and I wanted to find the right photograph or take the right photograph that would show just what I see when I look at the faces of those around me.

Take my Grans face for example.
Nanny Maw

That face and smile says so much to me. Her skin was always so smooth and soft, I mean really soft. You know your favourite soft blanket or jumper? Softer than that. I think she must have bathed in milk or something to get her skin so soft. She didn't have wrinkles or spots or dry patches just a great complexion, which I like to think I have inherited. Her eyes always had a twinkle that showed her true spirit, she loved a joke and even when she was pretending to be disgusted with a rude joke we had told her, you could see her eyes laughing along with you. She was a wise woman that even now I imagine myself talking to to get the answers to what ever problem I am facing. Just looking at this photograph I can hear her laugh. Oh my goodness you would never forget it if you had seen her laugh, her whole face would turn into the broadest smile as she would laugh with delight. She could laugh for ages and it was the sort of laugh that would just make everyone join in with her even if they didn't know what was funny to start with. If you looked close you could see her face told the story of her life. A hard life, but a life full of love and laughter.

Then there is my Nan.

Nanny B

This is another face that I keep in my memory to recall when I can because I don't get to see her as often as I would like. A face that has browned in the sun and has a few wrinkles here and there, but is beautiful just the same. There are lines around her eyes that tell of a million smiles and probably a million tears and they help to keep the knowledge of the ages contained inside. This is the woman who has stayed strong to her beliefs, who knows what she feels and isn't afraid to say things are right or wrong as she sees it. The face is open and honest just as she is with everything she does. Nothing is sugar coated, maybe omitted but never because she wants to deceive you only because she wants to protect you. I don't think I could count the number of times I have looked at this face or this face has looked at me and everything has been made better, made to sting less. A different face, but one that tells a story just the same.

I see stories when I look at peoples faces. The story of their lives, the story of their loves and losses, the stories of what they mean to me, of what they mean to others around them and whilst I'm not the best photographer in the world I hope that my pictures will show this to others.