The Beauty of Aging
People in their nineties have seen much of life. It is written on every line and embedded in every wrinkle on their faces. These people have likely outlived their spouses, friends and siblings. Stories of times recalled rest inside their smiles. Fewer people are interested in their accumulated stories, advice and even their physical appearance.
The Beauty of Aging involves creating images of people in their nineties in their realistic splendor. In addition to the portraits, which attempt to capture individuals in their residences, subjects were asked to provide the photographer with one piece of advice to young people just beginning in their lives. Each of these portraits reveals both through the portraits and people's words a snapshot of their lives revealed through photographs and words.
Midge Spear
" Midge was 98 years old when this photo was taken and she passed away in April, 2020 at the age of 99. Her advice: "It is so important to like what you do for work and you have to be able to laugh."
Anton Franke
Anton Franke, was born in the Netherlands and was an artist. Anton was 99 years old when this photo was taken. He passed away in the autumn of 2019. Anton reflects on his work for his advice. Anton’s art has shown him that you only need a few tools to do good work. Regarding one’s art, one’s style emerges and reveals itself over time. May Anton's memory be a blessing.
Irma Gershkowitz
Irma was 96 when this was taken in September, 2019. She passed away in January, at the age of 96. Her advice: "Don't give up thoughts about your life. Keep going with the flow and there an there are corners that you turn and at each corner you have a better view. Not to give up. Stay with it The better pieces will fall into line." Irma was my mother and the inspiration for this project. May her memory be a blessing.
Trudy Schwarz
""Trudy was 100 years old when this photo was taken in 2019. Her advice: "Worry about other people rather than yourself. You shouldn't be thinking of yourself all of the time."
Mel Frankel
Bernyce Shimberg
Medium Title
Berynce was 94 when she was photographed in autumn, 2019. She passed away a few months later. Her advice, "Don't turn down any opportunity, no matter how remote." May her memory be a blessing.
Marilyn Bernard
Marilyn Bernard
Marilyn is 90 years old and her advice is"follow your heart."
George Schaffer
George is 91 years old. "It’s most important to preserve your values and to share your values and to be in your truth and to respond to anything where you can respond."
Lillian Sandler
"Lillian Sandler was 99 when this photo was taken in 2019. She passed away a little short of her 100th birthday. Her advice was, "Whatever you do, do to the best of your ability." May her memory be a blessing.
Berton Fliegel
Berton was 90 when this photograph was taken. His advice: "listen to each other." Berton died at 90 in April of 2020. May his memory be a blessing.
Mary Walsh
Mary Walsh was 95 when this portrait was taken. Her advice was to "take each day as it comes." Mary passed away in April, 2020 at the age of 96. May her memory be a blessing.
Martin Ruben
Martin is 93 and his advice is "Be fruitful and multiply." He encourages young people to get married young and have their children while they are young so that they can enjoy grandchildren and great grandchildren.in
Ruth Pricilla Marks
"Ruth was 95 years old when this was taken. Her advice was, "Don't worry about what you cannot change. Don't neglect little things because they will get bigger. Try to turn a negative into a positive." Ruth died in August, 2020 at the age of 96. May her memory be a blessing.
Allan Stack
Allan was a proud World War 2 veteran. His advice was to "Keep Breathing." Alan passed away in April, 2020. May his memory be a blessing.
Ellie Drachman
Ellie's advice to those beginning in life is "Seize the day" Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. There are so many things that one can do! Ellie passed away a few months after this photo, in January, 2020. May her memory be a blessing.
Bobbie Cole
Bobbie is 94 years young and her advice is "Think twice before having a disagreement."
Ira Kass
Ira Kass is 94. His advice, "Don't argue by day; argue by night in the dark, without seeing someone's expression. That is where you work things out. Settle a disagreement by night."
Janice Rossbach
Janice Rossbach is 91 years old and she worked as an engineer..She offered a great deal of advice
as a professional in the field of engineering.
"Go for what you want. If you think no one will let you have the opportunity don’t vote against yourself, try. Don’t decide what others will do. Let them tell you.
Remember that you are an individual, not a statistic. Just because statistically people do/can do A and not B has no connection to what suits you and your abilities.
Be helpful to others. Be willing to spend an hour to save someone two hours."
Lolly Giflix
Lolly is an energetic 91 year old. Her advice includes the following:
"Take life a little easier. Don't expect life to be easy because it is not. Sooner or later there are things in life that come up."
Gerry Miller
Gerry Miller
“To be honest and treat people the way you wanted to be treated.” Gerry passed away in March of 2020. May his memory be a blessing.
Ethel Kurtzman
“Ethel was 96 in autumn, 2019, when this photo was taken. Her advice was to keep active. Don’t be sedentary and don’t fret over small things.”
Henny Adler
Henny Adler, a Holocaust survivor, was unable to give me advice, but her daughter shared what she believed her mother's advice would have been and that is that family is everything. Henny died in March of 2020. May her memory be a blessing.
Gloria Baker
Gloria's advice was “Take it as it comes because everything changes.” Gloria passed away in October, 2020. May her memory be a blessing.
Rosalind Gray
Rosalind Gray was never one to give advice so we can learn from her that advice is not always necessary.
Flora Udwin
Flora was photographed in fall, 2019 at the age of 90. Her advice to others is not make decisions too quickly. Flora passed away in July, 2020. May her memory be a blessing.
Lynne Robbins
Lynne Robbins was photographed in autumn, 2019 at the age of 90. Her advice, “Don’t be judgemental and don’t expect too much from others.”
Bernice Saxe
Bernice was photographed in fall, 2019 at the age of 91. Her advice was, “Keep your wallet open and your mouth closed. Live every minute as best as your can; never say no! Always say yes before you know where you are going!”
Bea Lipsky
“Keep active. Don’t be sedentary and don’t fret over small things.”
Bea Lipsky was 90 years old when this photo was taken in 2019. Her advice includes, "Keep active. Don’t be sedentary and don’t fret over small things.”