Do You See What I See? (This Picture’s Worth a 1,000 Words)

I’m going to try something a little bit different today. Hopefully, you guys/gals can dig it, but, anyway, here goes…

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words and I believe them. About a month or two back, I was on Twitter (@NakedWithSocks) when I noticed one of my online “friends” @ItsJustGoldie had (once again) changed her avatar. I couldn’t quite make it out in its miniaturized state, so I clicked on her name to get a closer look.

I was greeted by the following picture:

Simply put it was beautiful. I’m not much for visual interpretation but the image spoke to me in some way. While the average person might only see what appears to be a mother and her daughter, I took much more from the picture.

So, with Goldie’s permission, here’s my interpretation of the above image.

I see a mother and daughter sharing a day in the sun. I assume they’re at the beach, but based on the tall pine tree in the background on the left hand side of the frame I’m not sure if they’re near water or not. The seemingly endless stretch of sand that surrounds them further casts a shadow of doubt on their location being nautical, but I’ll go with my instinct and say that they are in fact beachside.

Mother and daughter share the same hairstyle—pulled back and up, blooming from the tops of their heads. It’s a cute sign of mimicry that children often engage in, wanting to be just like mommy and daddy.

Both of their gazes are downward, directed at something in unseen that lies directly between them. Is it a sand crab or sand castle? Mommy’s sandy feet obscure my view, leaving that to be their little secret.

At the center of the frame are mommy’s feet, which are layered in sand. From that infer that she’s caught up in the moment of the day and time with her little one. There’s no concern for getting “dirty” or ruining her manicure, only this precious time with her daughter.

The sky looks bright and blue, with only a few clouds in the distance. There must be a light sea breeze as the trees in the right of the frame look to sway under its power. The same whisk of air makes mommy’s skirt bellow up, revealing three tattoo stars on the back of her left thigh.

Humility, is no issue.

These three stars add depth and a sense of edge to this serene image. Of all the places to adorn her body with tattoos; why did she chose such a unique location as the back of her thigh? Perhaps, it’s a reflection of her free spirit and desire to do the unexpected. Why three as opposed to one or a matching set on the other thigh? I have no one clear answer for that query, the symbolism is lost to me, but I’m sure it holds some meaning to her.

There’s clearly more to this woman than meets the eye. Motherhood is only one facet of her being. There is another side, one that exists outside the norm of what is expected and colors outside the lines. There’s a sense of mystery and willingness to be different that will more than likely be passed on to her daughter.

The final part of this image is the one that remains unseen, the photographer. Based on the low angle of the shot, I can assume that the camera was placed adjacent to the sand—either by mommy herself or a third party (possibly the father or some other familial member or close friend).

Regardless of the shooter, the angle of choice speaks volumes for the image. Had this been captured from a seated or standing position, the composition would be completely different, opening up a host of other interpretations.

A few degrees higher and the object at the focal point of mother and daughter’s gaze would be exposed, while mommy’s three-stars would be obscured. Everything that made this picture what it is would still be there but its impact would be completely different and I wouldn’t have been inspired to write a thousand words about this specific moment suspended in time.

What did you think of my interpretation of this image? What did you see when you first saw this picture? Did your interpretation change after you read my take on it? Do you have any thoughts on the picture that differ from my own or additional interpretations you’d like to add? How important is it for parents to spend time with their children exploring the world? Does having or being around children make you let lose and forget about mundane things like getting “dirty” in the sand?

Speak your piece…

BONUS: Sean Combs getting his Diddy Daycare on

REMINDER: ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO CAST YOUR VOTE

It’s the final week to of the 2010 Black Weblog Awards finals. So if you haven’t already, be sure to cast your ballot for Naked With Socks On, which was nominated for “Best Sex & Relationship Blog” and “Best Blog Post Series” for Wet Wednesdays. Feel free to spread the love for NWSO and the other great sites that made it to the finals by CLICKING HERE TO VOTE!!!  Thanx in advance.