Happy Children's Day - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

Today marks the Universal Children's Day in many countries.  May we hold our children's hands, nurture, protect, guide and build them as they feel their way around in this world; and also take the opportunity to let go when the time arrives.  And yes, there is such time in every child's life.  If you are ever in doubt, refer to P.J. O'Rourke's methodology:   

“You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where they came from and refuse to tell you where they're going.” 

Have a happy Children's Day to all the parents out there!  Remember, as John W. Whitehead puts it, “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.”  Until that day, remain a child until you can't pretend anymore.

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Smile, It's the Best Makeup - Los Angeles Transformational Beauty Photographer

On one of the expeditions in the Antarctica trip, a group of girls asked me to make a photograph for them with the beautiful glacier as the background.

I immediately went into portrait photographer mode and the next thing I heard myself say surprised (or rather, impressed) even the most critical me - "Smile, it's the best makeup!"

I've long believed in being authentic in what I do and this "incident" is further proof for that.   It was not preconceived, so it must have come from what I truly believe.  You think a trip to Cagliari, Sardegna, witnessing the religious procession of Festa di Sant'Efisio might have put the thought into my head? 

They say "a picture is worth a thousand words".  I'm going to show you two thousands words.  I hope you see the point clearly demonstrated by them.  These were made on the first day of Festa di Sant'Efisio, where thousands of people from villages and towns of the whole island were in the procession, dressed in traditional costumes.

A. With a smile:

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B. With no smile:

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Now, do you or do you not agree, smile is the best makeup?  

A Mother is a Mother is a Mother - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

It's that time of the year again.  Since 1657, May 1st marks the beginning of a four-day religious procession, Festa di Sant'Efisio (The Feast of Saint Efisio, in English), starting and ending in Cagliari, the capital city of Sardegna, Italy.  

To say it's a colorful event would be an understatement.  Close to 4,000 (some source says 5,500) men, women and children from every town and village of the island will be among the procession, dressed in traditional costumes.  It's not only the most important religious procession of Cagliari, but also the largest in the Mediterranean.

You know it's an important event when you see all members of the family, including babies, in the procession.  You also know it's important when people dress in their most beautiful traditional costumes, all made by themselves.

So, on May 1st, when the time approaches 10:00 am, everybody should be ready for the Saint.  But wait, nobody is ready unless the mom says so.  In fact, there's quite a few moms there on site, demonstrating perfectly what a mom is best at.  

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Salute to all the moms out there, the moms that don't and won't take a break no matter what.  A mom is a mom.  Happy Mother's Day!