2024 New Year
After a busy but good Christmas, it seems that 2024 arrived more quickly than I thought. It is always rather nice to spring into a New Year, and this year seems a particularly important year to mark as I turn 50.
I am always someone who likes to have projects and ideas on the go – normally to many to actually physically do in a year and this year is no exception.
I have decided to mark the year in several ways. Firstly I will be heading to Japan mid April with my family (Mike & Poppy). Japan has been a country that Mike and I have talked about visiting since we first met over 15 years ago, so it seems a wonderful time for us to finally realise this dream.
If anybody has any recommendations for Japan – I would love to hear in the comments
Nostalgia
Secondly I have been looking back on photographs and my younger life through a few posts and ideas we have started over at Two Photographers and it has made me feel quite nostalgic but in a positive way.
So I have decided through all of this that one of the reasons I started taking photographs was because I loved taking photographs of my friends and family and it’s something that I don’t do so much anymore, probably because photography is now my job and secondly it seems that the mobile phone and selfie era has made me turn and run in the other direction.
However I do feel that turning 50 is a moment in life to celebrate and so I have decided to ‘record’ this year through a series of self portraits – a minimum of one a month be it on my own, with my family or my friends. I dislike photographing myself and the awkwardness I feel, and so this is as much an exercise in overcoming this (or not!).
I would like to create a photo album at the end of the year that includes these portraits and a memento of this year including my trip to Japan.
I am good at creating albums for other people and indeed many years ago I used to create one for my niece (who lives in Australia) when she came back to Europe on holiday. It was a memento of our time and apparently she used to pour over them. My grandmother was also very good at putting photo albums together and so turning 50 seems as good a time as any to start for myself.
Happy Families
Below is one of those photographs – a family moment. A good memory of a Sunday afternoon at home in January.
Does anyone remember the game ‘ Happy Families’ where you had to collect whole families like Master Bacon the Butcher’s son?
Well this photo below reminded me of that series and our version ‘The Antique Family’, but it sounds better in French – Monsieur, Madame et Mademoiselle Antiquaire !
And so the project begins – a year when I turned 50 and of course, some of my closest friends too. It is an intimate and attainable project, which is so important when starting them.
Starting projects is easy – finishing them is so much harder, but for me the start was 1 January 2024, and it will finish on 31 December 2024. My birthday falling precisely in between on 6 June.
Now I have to persuade everyone else to embark on my series of portraits, and that may be much harder !
Joanna x
Postscript:
This was all at the beginning of 2024, as you see. What about between then and now?
So… yes we did get to Japan – I haven’t created an album yet but I do intend to this year (2025)! As far as the photo project has gone. I have done pretty well in photographing portraits with me, my family and friends but have extended the project until I turn 51 in June, this year. I still have a couple more portraits to add to the list and finishing with a final one on my birthday to mark the end. Then I will print them all and put them together,” said Joanna Maclennan.
Joanna Maclennan Workshops in Provence: make a note
Joanna Maclennan Workshops in Provence
16-23 September, and here is the link: https://joannamaclennan.com/provence-photography-workshop
Do you like Family portraits? And what about the antique style? Joanna would love to hear from you. Please share in the comments below.
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