American Woman
New York City is full of fabulous women of a certain age who let their hair go grey and grow long. They don’t have cosmetic surgery, they don’t put their make-up away and you don’t want to mess with any of them! They have stories to tell, they have been around and they are not going to go away anytime soon.
This woman was part of a protest group at the recent Sarah Jessica Parker Fundraiser for the 2012 re-election campaign of Barack Obama in New York.
She was absolutely fabulous!
She looks rather care-worn, but it would be good to do a series of photographs of her. Prestatyn in North Wales, where I now live, is full of older ladies who still drive cars, rather dangerously at times, and can be seen out and about every day. Since moving here, I’ve learnt to drive slower and anticipate that even although I might have right of way, don’t expect it will always be adhered to……
Saying that though, one lady I stop to talk to when I’m walking the dogs has told me some great stories from her early life.
Those “get out of my way, perish or die!” older drivers – I think I am related to some of them . . . be careful out there Mike!
I wouldn’t mess with her!
You would never had known or spent time guessing what kind of life she led if she’d gone down the cosmetic surgeon route. Her past would’ve been quite literally ironed out. Great photo, Patti!
Pie, that evening I met a very charming older man who was more than happy to admit to having had three face-lifts. He was a self-proclaimed pioneer and I have to tell you he looked rather good (more about him later), unlike so many other women in the city whose faces scream lifted. Badly!
Great to see you back Pie and looking fwd to dropping in on you for some biscuits. Relying on you for the ringside seat to London’s Olympics!
excellent portrait and loved how you composed the picture with the flag in the background 🙂
My grateful thanks to you Joshi!
A wonderful portrait, Ms. K!
I particularly like how you’ve included just enough background information to clue your viewers in to this woman’s story, but (combined with the somewhat shallow D.O.F.) it doesn’t distract or compete with your subject for attention, either. Very nicely done, indeed!
🙂
Thank you kind SiG! Your comment reminds me how much difficulty I had with this post. The photo sat in a draft for days, alone with the title which is how I really wanted to go with it but I didn’t feel comfortable enough sending her out on her own. Not with those eyes! I also decided to leave politics out of it even though she was making a very political stand at the time! But which side?
I love getting my roots done every month. To me, you can grow old gracefully without growing out the gray.
I’m thinking I might go blonde!
Go for it!
Nice shot and interesting story.
Adiós Patti…
Gracias kind Carlos!
Great work Patti , The woman in your photograph show her courage , Thanks for sharing this 🙂
My pleasure Jake, thank you!
I love how you captured the heart of this beautiful woman in your camera. An American woman with an American dream. I see myself and all who dreamed then and now what it is to hope each day and never give up. Like your words, “They have stories to tell, they have been around and they are not going to go away anytime soon.” So are we my my friend….Take care.
All best to you and I know you are never going to give up!
Reality check 1 – if this was a man, would anyone say he should be dyeing his hair and getting a facelift?
Reality check 2 – grey hair and wrinkles are a normal part of aging. Hair dye and facelifts are not – they are simply the products of several industries that want to sell product to a public obsessed with eternal youth.
The woman in the photo has figured this all out, hasn’t she!
Margie, now that you mention it, I have to say how alarmed I am at the rising number of older men who are dyeing their hair. It never looks good, just as the toupee, and comb-overs, never looked good! Hair dye is something I think most women can get away with. Plus, it’s a woman’s right to choose!
As for the face-lifts, they’re not looking good on any one . . . .
Yes, you are indeed right about the woman in the photo having figured it out and she is not alone!
You Go Grey Girl, we’re all worth it!
In Paris or Rome you’d never find a stylish woman of any age with white hair. (Or wearing sneakers, but that’s another story.)
I resisted it with all my might, and then discovered something amazing when, because of an allergy, I had to let my hair go white after more than forty years of coloring it:
http://touch2touch.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/it’s-the-white-hair-that-does-it/
It’s still the most popular post I ever did, and I feel more than ever like a truly liberated woman.
Judith, I remember how much I enjoyed that post and I am feeling your sense of liberation, not to mention relief from your allergy – that is a heck of a lot of dye!
Hair is such a touchstone topic for women and whether we dye it or not I like to think that we all have within us our own essence of style which more often than not translates as attitude! We can say what we like about Joan Rivers and her cosmetic surgery etc but she has probably said it all about herself and beaten us to the punchline in the process. That’s Joan. Being herself, a self-described piece of work!
How did I get on to Joan Rivers? I think I should stop here . . .
😆
everything you said to me i could say to you! new york is a great city for a photographer…i’m actually going to your hometown (london) on wednesday….i’m super excited to photograph some gay brits! (though from the requests i’ve made so far in trying to set it up, they tend to be a bit more camera shy it seems…)
Great to see you here Kevin, thank you!
Yes, NY is a great city for a photographer. Living, working on top of each other as we do in NY there is nothing for it but to get out into the streets where it all happens, where we all have so much in common (while accommodating a vastness of differences) by virtual fact of sharing the limited space.
Can’t wait to see your London shots! Wishing you safe journey and much fun!
Fantastic portrait, Patti. She looks skeptical in this shot. Very interesting expression.
She wasn’t very happy but then she was out campaigning for Mitt . . .