The subject for last week’s P52 was “My favorite,” which can mean anything. An inordinate number of people posted photos of their favorite child. I wasn’t going to post a photo of my child at all, because I’m above all that. Of course, I only have one child. The two of us have spend the last week housebound, knocked off our feet by some gruesome intestinal flu. Iris threw up lots and lots. She didn’t eat anything but momma milk for nearly a week, tho now she has bites of custard now and again. 

I recently joined a photography forum called Clickin Moms. It’s a collection of professional and enthusiast photographers giving each other advice, participating in workshops, and partaking on projects. I joined the ClickMoms Project 52, which gives me a theme for each week out of the year. This week’s theme was a self portrait.

I had to wait until Iris was napping. That gives me an average of 45 minutes to the first cry, 20 minutes to the next. Then I had to figure how I was going to photograph myself amongst all the clutter of my house. There’s one good window for lighting, so I decided that instead of trying to clear everything out from in front of the window and give myself a clean background, I would put everything in front of the window and show you who I really am.

My goal as a photographer is to embrace the awkwardness of life that gives us humor. I look for lightness in life by seeking humor in humanity. I want to remember over and over again that what makes us human is love. I want to document the truth of us and show it beautiful. Wish me luck.

This is me.