Family resemblance

DAILY LIFE: 2017 SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – 2nd Place National Awards – Photo by: Selma van der Bijl, Netherlands

Selma van der Biji describes her photography methods and discusses her photograph In de wolken / Delighted, featured here, which took second place in the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards:

The image I submitted is from the series “Me, myself and him,” which is a photographic journey through the first months of parenthood. Our son Tibbe was born after almost 7 years of unexplained infertility. I documented this life changing event with intimate and personal images of my family. This picture captures a spontaneous yet private moment between my dad and my son, a portrait of a grandfather who is finally able to hold is grandson in his arms. As a photographer I try to capture life as it is, focusing on authentic moments. My images are straight out of my camera, no digital manipulation or double exposures, what I see is what you get.

The Sony World Photography Organization holds four competitions at the professional, student, youth, and open levels. The professional level reviews a body of work while the others focus on individual pictures. The winners are all featured on their site and this exposure has proven invaluable to many emerging photographers.

Your Are Old, Father William – By Lewis Carroll “You are old, Father William,” the young man said, “And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head— Do you think, at your age, it is right?” “In my youth,” Father William replied to his son, “I feared it might injure the brain; But now that I’m perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again.” “You are old,” said the youth, “As I mentioned before, And have grown most uncommonly fat; Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door— Pray, what is the reason of that?” “In my youth,” said the sage, as he shook his grey locks, “I kept all my limbs very supple By the use of this ointment—one shilling a box— Allow me to sell you a couple?” “You are old,” said the youth, “And your jaws are too weak For anything tougher than suet; Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak— Pray, how did you manage to do it?” “In my youth,” said his father, “I took to the law, And argued each case with my wife; And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw, Has lasted the rest of my life.” “You are old,” said the youth, “one would hardly suppose That your eye was as steady as ever; Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose— What made you so awfully clever?” “I have answered three questions, and that is enough,” Said his father; “don’t give yourself airs! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? Be off, or I’ll kick you down stairs!”

See more photos here.