Week three of project 52 is close to your heart. This I found to be a very broad subject with a wealth of meaning. I considered a straight forward family picture, or alternatively a shot that shows us all happy and busy with some activity. These photography projects are supposed to stretch our creativity and imagination, remind us that there are different ways to convey a message. So instead I decided to look for something a little more abstract.

The picture I chose to make, at first glance might seem materialistic. In reality, each item has a story and meaning that weighs more than its physical bounds. They represent a moment in time, a piece of the jigsaw puzzle of my life.

• Necklace: a gift from Shauna and Callum the day I became a dad.
• Cufflinks: my dad bought these in memory of my grandfather after he died.
• The silver watch: a gift from my sister on her wedding day.
• Currency: there is money from where I was born, where I live and where I have travelled. It reminds me of past adventures and adventures yet to come.
• Greenstone necklace: bought during our New Zealand adventure. Carved by a local Maori artist to bring luck to travellers.
• The small blue case contains Callum’s front tooth. He had to have it pulled out after an accident when he was only eleven months old.
• The towel upon which everything sits I have had at least twenty years. It was a gift, given to me along with a snooker cue by my Aunty one Christmas.
• Chapstick: The least significant but most needed. I can’t go longer than a couple of days without needing one.

Keeping clutter under control with a growing family is a constant struggle. Sometimes though it is good to remember the value in the little things that have helped to define who we become.

Elsewhere in our Project 52:

01. In the Beginning

02. Fun

04. Light