Pictures from Lina

My cousin Lina was visiting from Colombia this week. She's my age, and we've met a few times, but we've never had much contact. Even though I have pictures of the two of us together as babies, this was like meeting her for the first time. It was such a cool experience to reconnect after so many years, and find that we have the same nose, the same beauty mark above our lip, and the same love of photography and art. The difference between us is that she is a true professional (studied in Florence, Italy and everything) and I am a major wannabe. But I'll get there one day. I am bound and determined.

I have approximately 18 cousins on my mom's side of the family. So counting myself and my brothers, there are 21 of us. 14 of us are girls. I've only grown up with 3 of my cousins close by, and have had to see the rest in bits and pieces over the years. The incredible thing is that when I see each one again after several years of not being in contact, I find that we all have a lot in common. We're all artistically inclined, in one way or another. Just speaking of those of us in our 20's, Juliana, Lili, and Andrea all love music and are awesome dancers. Lili and Johanna are really good at making jewelry and have an eye for fashion. Caro, Lina, Lili, Johanna, and I like to draw and paint. Lina and I like photography and messing around in photoshop. And a bunch of us like to sing. We all get this from our parents, who were also very musical and artistic.

Anyway, it was really cool to see Lina again and get to ask her a bazillion questions about her photography. The girl is amazing. Her photography is very artistic and conceptual. She finds beauty in everyday things. She has taken amazing pictures of tree bark, water, clouds, the side of a building, a deck....she finds the beauty in everything. I asked her to take some pictures of my kids on the morning she was leaving, which is a very different kind of subject than what she is used to shooting. My boys are crazy little monkeys and refused to sit still for her, so it was pretty difficult. I'm sure the pieces of wood she shot in her last collection didn't make her break a sweat like my boys did. But I'm so happy with what she was able to get. Below are the shots she took of the boys. Thank you, Lina!!!

Diego's "happy face"

She actually got a better shot of me and Marcelito, but I like this one because there I am, trying to get a cute shot, and there he is, sucking his thumb and flicking everyone off.

I can't resist those cheeks.

Finally, they're sitting still for a second! Diego with his favorite toy ever: his tricycle.

I can't decide if I like these last three better in black and white or in color.