double take/portraits over time (giveaway!)

It is such a privilege to share this book with you all today.

Several years ago I became fascinated with the documentary series “Up” – which followed the lives of a group of British 7-year-olds. The director, Michael Apted, visited the children every seven years, until the age of 56 (you can read more about the series in this article from The New Yorker).

In a time when we are so accustomed to seeing movies boasting realer-than-real-life makeup and special effects, these films captured the lives of their subjects without the help of CGI. I couldn’t wait to begin each installment, to see how the children (and then adolescents, and then adults) had changed – how they aged, where their lives had gone, and how they fared compared to where we thought they might go when the series began.

Then earlier this year I sat mesmerized through the movie “Boyhood”, a story told through the eyes of a boy from the time he was 12 until he turned 18. The director and actors met once a year for 6 years to realistically film the characters as they aged and grew. And as moving as the story was (and amazing performances all around too), it was truly elevated by the experience of seeing the actors as they really looked at the time each chapter in the movie took place.

In much the same way, the beautiful book Double Take/Portraits Over Time, by Maggie Evans Silverstein, visually explores this idea (all images courtesy of Maggie Evans Silverstein).

A portrait photographer for over 40 years, Maggie has curated a beautiful book filled with side-by-side portraits of subjects taken over various times in their lives – baby to adolescent, adolescent to adult, adult to parent. The photos are accompanied by text, written by the subject (or parent), sharing thoughts on what was happening at the time the picture was taken.

As these are all “real people”, the relatability of the text and the photos makes this book such a powerful and moving read.

From the author: “These photographs side by side…speak about the swiftness of time, how before we know it a childhood passes by in front of us. We can’t, of course, see it in our daily lives – but arent there times when a child may suddenly turn to look at you and there it is, you see the adult who will come? …The children might as well be saying watch what happens, I’m traveling between the frames, slipping into more of who I will be.”

If you are a parent, you know this feeling all too well.

I am SO excited to have a copy of this book to give away to one of my readers. This would make such a special and meaningful gift to give to so many people on your list – a parent, a parent-to-be, a sibling – I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t appreciate the beautiful words and images.

To enter, leave a comment here telling me who in your life would love this book (it’s okay if it’s you!) – be sure to include your e-mail address if it’s not already linked to your comment.

You can order the book here.

The giveaway is open through Friday, December 19th at 5 p.m. EST. The winner will be chosen at random, and announced on Saturday, December 20th. Update: Adrian is the lucky winner! Thanks for participating!

Good luck!

Note: I was not compensated for this post. Maggie Evans Silverstein kindly sent me a copy of her book; all comments and opinions expressed here are – as always – completely my own.

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