HEARTWARMING PORTRAITS OF 50 DADS -A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
I celebrate ACHIEVEMENT EVERY DAY! WEDNESDAY SERIES – “A Rainbow of Role Models”, highlights role models of ALL colors. “There is dignity, in achievement and success—in becoming, a great factor in civilization.” Carter G. Woodson.
I hope you will share these short articles; perhaps a few people will be curious to learn more.
Disclaimer: Good Day, Readers. WealthBuildingPowers blog is a financial literacy/competency blog and does not provide specific investment recommendations.
STYRON’S INTRODUCTION
Several times I have written about a subject critically important to me –Fatherhood. Over 70 percent- OVER SEVENTY BLASTED PERCENT of black babies today, are living in homes without a dad present. That sad trend is growing in all American races. I recommend you open the below link and look at these pictures. I see kids of all ages touching their dads. I see love, respect, self-esteem, confidence, safety, and much more that these kids get from their Dads.
August 5th is the happiest day of my life because, on that date, I became a Dad. Each year I write a nerdy but heartfelt letter to my daughter. I tell her “Styron” stories and offer my advice on various subjects.
AN EXERT BELOW:
“YOUR HAPPINESS IS MY PRIMARY GOAL
“Imagine my joy on August 5, 1992, when my dream became a reality. I was a dad. I still vividly remember seeing you for the first time. You were and are so beautiful. You had this head full of hair and bright eyes, and I fell in love. You, Amanda Elizabeth Powers, made my dream a reality.”
Heartwarming Portraits of 50 Dads – Explore the Meaning of Fatherhood [Interview] – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
Fatherhood looks different for everyone, but it can be distilled to one word: connection. Documentary portrait photographer Antoine Didienne explores how modern-day fatherhood forges these bonds in his ambitious series titledPortraits of My Father. Didienne photographed 50 dads, along with their children, in endearing candid-style studio portraits. Though a moment frozen in time, the black-and-white images offer a fascinating insight into each relationship.
In photographing so many families, Didienne examines masculinity, love, and parenting as a way to challenge the traditional assumptions that come with fatherhood. “I sought to photograph fathers of all kinds,” he tells My Modern Met. “Ones that have adopted children or that were adopted themselves; recomposed families; fathers and kids with special needs; dads that have used surrogates in order to have children; fathers and kids with mixed backgrounds of all kinds, of all classes and orientations…” Portraits of My Father impressed upon him that DNA “doesn’t mean much when it comes to being a father.”
We spoke with Didienne about his series, including one of his most memorable portraits out of the 50 he snapped.
Photographer Antoine Didienne explores modern-day fatherhood in his emotional series titled Portraits of My Father.
https://f9d310e897a34f63ada09c0d0ebc77d3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html What inspired you to begin Portraits Of My Father?
I was at a time in my photography career when I was looking for more meaning in my photography and I was buying a lot of photography coffee table books for inspiration. I had only recently started shooting portraits and I am a huge fan of Platon, Irving Penn, Arnold Newman, and particularly of Belgian photographer Stephan Vanfleteren. I wanted to understand their work and process better so I took time to conceptualize a long-form project. I started and abandoned a couple before deciding on fatherhood. I wanted something intimate and important and I went with what I knew intimately: being a father. I knew I wanted to eventually exhibit the project and make a book, so I reversed engineered everything from there.
Your images, while portraits, have a documentary quality to them; they feel candid and like reflections of the people you’re photographing. How did you achieve this in the studio?
Documentary photography and photojournalism take up a lot of space in my photography brain and that’s how I approach any type of work I do anyways. Whether it’s a “day in the life” session with a family, a wedding, or a portrait in my studio I, want to say something about the people I photograph. It’s important to me when it comes to creating good art and a good story. I wanted the images to feel full of life and movement even if I posed my subjects. I decided to have the sessions feel more like conversations. I would talk to the dads and kids beforehand.
YourPortraits Of My Father project was ambitious—you photographed 50 dads! Can you tell us about one memorable session?
I chose 50 because it was an ambitious number and the most challenging thing was the perseverance. It took me 2.5 years to complete it. My most memorable session was the last one because it took me 2.5 years to find a trans dad who would agree to be photographed. I had had many leads, phone conversations, and canceled sessions with trans dads that would want to be included but whose kids were not comfortable with it. I was done photographing the project but did not want to close it until I had found a trans dad. For me, it was essential to find someone in the community to be able to paint a complete picture… and in May, I met Arin and his daughter Alexa. These 2 were a delight to work with and gave me awesome photos. I really was able to end the project with a bang.
Being a father yourself, you have very personal knowledge of fatherhood. What did this project teach you?
I came to seriously question the concept of fatherhood altogether. Photographing 50 different types of fathers will make you realize that fatherhood has nothing to do with DNA. I’ve photographed single dads; dads with special needs; dads from many different cultures, and of different orientations and we all view our role differently… but we are parents and it has little to do with masculinity and more to do with expressing ourselves.
What do you hope people take away from your series?
I just wanted to show my love for fathers. I wanted to show something to aspire to but that is also a reflection of the times. The concept of fatherhood is rapidly changing and that’s a good thing. I want other fathers to be inspired to be better dads, more present, and more engaged.
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LET’S MAKE SOME MONEY – CRYPTOCURRENCY IS ACCEPTED!
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’S WHAT YOU GIVE! CHARITIES I SUPPORT
St Jude Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/
Wounded Warrior Project: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Folds of Honor: https://foldsofhonor.org
Wilson’s No-Kill Animal Shelter: https://wcnkas.org
TRUST ME – YOU WILL LIKE THE BELOW POPULAR BLOGS!
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’s WHAT YOU GIVE!
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’S WHAT YOU GIVE!
NEW SERIES – CRITICAL THINKING
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WHITE PRIVILEGE OR FINANCIAL SECURITY PRIVILEGE?
RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS– TEACHER RAYMOND NELSON CREATES GENTLEMEN’S CLUB TO TEACH LIFE LESSONS TO BOYS WHO HAVE NO DADS AT HOME
“WHAT WE BECOME DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR FATHERS TEACH US AT ODD MOMENTS WHEN THEY AREN’T TRYING TO TEACH US”
DADS WHO RAISED ME TO BE MORE THAN I COULD BE!
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – BADRINARAYANAN KOTHANDARAMAN, ENPHASE ENERGY, CEO
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – MARIO HOOVER – 16 YEARS OLD!
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – LEGENDARY INVESTOR JOHN ROGERS JR
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/03/09/black-and-brown-role-models-series-legendary-investor-john-rogers-jr/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} – ROBERT L. JOHNSON, FOUNDER BET – FEBRUARY 24, 2022
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} – JAMES AND JILEA HEMMINGS BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS OWNERS OF AN AUTONOMOUS GROCERY STORE – ON FEBRUARY 25, 2022
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/02/25/black-history-month-role-models-james-and-jilea-hemmings-become-first-african-americans-owners-of-an-autonomous-grocery-store-february-25-2022/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} BILLIONAIRE ROBERT F. SMITH – FEBRUARY 23, 2022
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS -REGINALD LEWIS – FEBRUARY 22, 2022
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/02/22/black-history-month-role-models-reginald-lewis-february-22-2022/
WE NEED MORE STEM MAJORS AND LEGACIES LIKE MYLES JOHNSON!
WE NEED MORE STEM MAJORS AND LEGACIES LIKE MYLES JOHNSON!
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY – “EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WITH WHICH YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD” NELSON MANDELLA
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ABOUT ME
I am a proud nerd (as my beautiful wife and daughter have told me) investment and finance blogger with an N.C. State, Chemical Engineering, University Rutgers, MBA and Harvard University, Advanced Management education.
I left a corporate career because I desired to make a difference as a speaker and writer. I was blessed to be coached and mentored by strong women and men in my family and professional life. It is my time to serve and give back.
DISCLAIMER
I started my first business at ~13 years of age (a small but brilliantly created plant nursery). I am a successful investor in stocks, options, and real estate and am happy to share my finance and investment lessons. I am NOT a licensed financial advisor. Please do not construe my suggestions on this blog as recommendations for your situation. As an investor, you must establish your risk/loss tolerance. Investment in any asset involves risk, including complete loss.
Please seek your licensed CPA or fiduciary financial advisors for individual financial advice.
I write this weekly blog to make an impact by reaching an audience and demonstrating the need for financial literacy. I will help you get there.
