Thursday, October 29, 2009

Nancy, Santa Monica, CA


Nancy, in her early 70's had shining blue eyes and white curly hair. She is dedicated to her day at the beauty parlor. She arrives at The Cut Salon in Santa Monica in a wheel chair, has her hair washed and then she returns to her wheelchair to have her hair styled. Isn't her smile fabulous?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Mona Lisa, Memphis, TN

Mona is Rose's hair-stylist. Rose was Mona's school teacher. There was no shortage of laughs in this salon and no shortage of genuine caring about each other as well.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Vera, Conroe, Texas



Vera is another of Kathie's clients in Conroe, Texas. She recently had surgery on her head and Kathie created a hair piece, dyed to match Vera's hair, that concealed the part of her head that was shaved. Look at her red hair...it doesn't get more beautiful than that. They have been through a lot together and the love and caring is so present.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Southern Ladies #1 - Brantley, Alabama

This is a typical work day for Sheila in Brantley, Alabama. Madeleine brings flowers, another client brings blueberries and Ms. Elizabeth , who is being helped from her chair taught 3 generations in Sheila's family. I felt like I was on the set of "Steel Magnolias" only this was real life and the women were not actors, but beautiful beings who connected here at Sheila's and talked about the pastor and church and recipes and weddings and ...life in the South.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Virginia, New Orleans, LA



Almost 90, this amazing woman is sharp and sweet and as you can see, elegant. Her hairstylist, MaryJane at Dante Salon in New Orleans, is an artist, a sculptor of a fading art.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Pearl, Long Island, NY

Pearl, who reminded me of one of my great aunts, the kind you run into at Bar Mitzvahs, asked, "are you going to follow me to the bathroom and take pictures of my tuchas" (which is yiddish for - derrier - which is french for, well you get the picture). She definitely had chutzpah and I would bet that she brings her family much joy, happiness and a ton of laughter.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Carmen, Santa Fe, NM

Carmen was at Holiday Salon in Santa Fe, getting ready for her 91st birthday. Sharp and elegant, she told us how she used to ride motorcycles with her husband. Carmen has been seeing her hairstylist, Linda, for 44 years. If you look at her face closely, you will see a life full of experience and knowing that we will only know, when we are her age.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Blossom, Long Island, NY

Still working in her seventies, Blossom turned out to be a women who worked at my junior high about the time when I was there. She was impeccably dressed, as most of the women I photograph at their weekly ritual are. Not like me, who shows up in sweats and a t-shirt, looking like a shlub...but like Blossom, I have a great friend in my hairstylist too.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Jane, Conroe, TX

Jane, a mother, grandmother, avid tennis player and so much more, left this physical plane just last week. She was the reason I went to Conroe, Texas, to photograph her. She had the most amazing smile and hair as you can see....white-like feathers that surrounded her gorgeous face and eyes. I am grateful to have been able to give her family photographs of this beautiful woman. Kathy her hairstylist was so caring, I know she will feel the loss of her client and good friend.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Rose


Rose was the teacher of Mona, now her hairstylist and she said, "I always knew Mona was smart and had something special." They're joking and laughing was contagious. Mona's salon is called 'Mona Lisa' in Memphis, TN. Rose, now retired, gets her hair done after her swimming exercise in the morning. Such a pretty lady.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Gene & Gladys, Memphis, TN

Gene Finney from Memphis, TN, in his seventies himself, is still a Don Juan with the ladies. Gladys asks Gene where he's been playing his harmonica - he's in a band and I was fortunate enough to get a first hand performance. His fingers are taped together because he has no feeling in one of them. Gene has been working with Gould's Salon for over 40 years, meeting and greeting his clients with kisses and hugs and coffee. When I asked Gene what his favorite part of his job was, he said, "Seeing the women smile when I'm done and feeling good about themselves...and the kisses!"

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Doris, New York

Doris has been going to the beauty parlor for over 50 years. She used to have a bee hive hairstyle in the late sixties and a "fall" and "flip" in the seventies. She brings gifts to "the girls" at the salon and they are happy to see her when she walks in the door at Georgette's in Long Island, New York, where the hairstylists have the most beautiful, longest nails I've ever seen. She loves the ritual of getting her hair done. I should know, she's my mom!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Florette & Patty, California

The connection of women is so important. Remember, these women come from a time when women didn't work in careers all that much. Their time to connect was at the beauty parlor and today, these women, are still meeting and exchanging laughs and stories.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Bessita

Bessita used to walk to her hair stylist's salon in Santa Monica, CA. Then her hairstylist, Lynn, moved to another salon about 15 miles away. Bessita now drives 15 -30 minutes to Brentwood to continue working with Lynn for over 30 years. That...is commitment.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Ruth's Hands

How many years do you think those rings have been on Ruth's hands. How many anniversaries, how many birthdays, how many losses, how many births? Those hands, that have held babies, pots and pans and other hands...and here she is taking care of those hands as they have taken care of so many and so much.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Bob & Bonnie

I love this. Bob reads a magazine while Bonnie gets her gorgeous hair styled. He is happy to be close to his wife and not in the least bit impatient.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Mrs. M


What can I say about Mrs. M? She's amazing. Her green eyeshadow just happened to match the green rollers on her head. She is from Alabama and I photographed her at John Peri Salon in Marina Del Rey. Her stylist, Lori, told me that she doubts the technique for Mrs. M's hairstyle was still being taught. She teased her hair, combed it and the end result was elegant.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Jenny


Jenny is the first woman I photographed at The Cut Salon in Santa Monica, CA. I was nervous and I wasn't sure how to approach my models, but I just asked and then suggested that she and everyone else go about the process naturally. At that time I was photographing for a whimsical project called, "A Day at the Beauty Parlor." I was so fortunate...Jenny was wearing all black and the wall behind her was orange. When it came time for her to sit under the dryer she struck poses in a way that I could only imagine Audrey Hepburn doing during a photo session. Jenny was gorgeous...hands graceful and the arch of her mouth matched the curve of the modern hair dryer.