Happy Valentine's Day from Zambia!

© Crystaline Randazzo Photography - All images are copyright of Crystaline Randazzo and in no way are to be used by Google, Google Advertisers or any third party. These are not your pictures. Steal them and I will sue you.

Shoot Snap Shot: Tremont Family Portraits

I had a great time yesterday shooting family portraits for some of our friends at post, the Tremonts. Pam and Eric have a lovely, five year old named Payton whose curiosity and gregarious attitude comes across in the photos. He and I decided that the next time we took pictures together, he'd bring his camera along as well and we'd take turns taking photos. He was fascinated by the camera and even framed a few shots as my assistant. This family was so much fun! What a blast!

 

Shoot Snap Shot: Lubuto Library Project

At long last, I got to visit the second Ngwerere Lubuto Library in the flesh! Well at the very least in the insaka. To give you some background, Labuto Library Project was founded in 2005 by Jane Meyers, Labuto Library Project President. She began by changing a small reading room into a full-fledge, balanced library collection for street kids starting in 1999. And this year they open their second library at the garden compound in Ngwerere.

I have been looking forward to seeing Lubuto's programs in action, but arrived during the holidays when school was not in session so I had to wait until after December to get shooting started. I am blown away by the scale of the project, and the logistical hoops that this team jumps through every day. Labuto runs several educational programs during the week, including drama, dance, and art along side the library. You can see the incredible art the students are creating here.

I will be the first to admit admit that I am a book lover. I love the way old books smell, the weight of them in your hands, and the way they connect you to various stages in your life. I've been known to spend hours in used books stores and libraries. Books grow and change with you as your understanding of the world changes.

I have to say, seeing the kids today and the way they were in awe of the books was amazing. Just to watch how their chubby, little fingers gently turned the pages, and to see their eyes gleamed with the thought of unknown places. The world was at their fingertips. And mine was as simple as the click of the shutter.

© Crystaline Randazzo Photography - All images are copyright of Crystaline Randazzo and in no way are to be used by Google, Google Advertisers or any third party. These are not your pictures. Steal them and I will sue you.