As a parent and photographer, there are certain rhythms of life that I love to photograph – and some of that is in how I look to capture the rituals of our yearly calendar. Right now, that is Spring. Spring means lots of things. The end of hibernation. Warm weather and changing to short sleeves and bare feet. Obvious things like picking dandelions and running through green grass, collecting cherry blossoms. Another is Easter – As a Christian this means to me a reflection on life, and life that is birthed after hardship, sorrow, darkness, injustice.

Related, every time I photograph a rite of passage in my family, it’s a moment to reflect on all the other years I’ve photographed the same moment, how this moment is an advancement of time of childhood. I think about how I’ve changed as parent – how I used to have to be more involved in teaching and instructing, how now each of mine is her own artist, her own person. Every year, I give my kids a dozen eggs, blank slates, and every year they create. There is a special joy in creation, something pleasing about the ritual.

Here is contemplation:

And here is my family portrait of the moment:

My oldest has grown bored of the job (handed his extras to my girls, who move quickly through eggs and are pleased=to do more). The girls, at first annoyed by Josiah’s risky activities, decided he was not worth the investment of emotional energy, and refocused at the job on hand. Josiah was not always the kind of kid who would throw one of his creations in the air, (he used to be so possessive of each egg – and careful to the point of obsession – so I am kind of pleased with his confidence and the extension of his personality).

Small details like tucked in feet, with small toes. A shirt and skirt combo that I didn’t feel quite matched, but how could I tell her when she seemed so pleased with herself?

My serious ten year old, who is usually not so serious, but who somehow got so immersed in creating a set of Marvel themed eggs, that he spent a good 45 minutes longer than everyone else at the table.

I love the seriousness, and the beauty of artistic creation, of going through the movements of the seasons, of how Easter brings reflection, creation, remembrance. Spring!