Portland, ME
9/30/10 11:53AM
Winky Lewis has three gorgeous kids. Blond haired, blue eyed, etc., etc. They all live in Portland, Maine, which is also stunning. Perfect subject for a former event photographer, right? Right. Do not read any sarcasm in these words. Her kids, in this place, through her lens, are truly a worthy subject, endlessly so. They play dress up, explore their own bodies, interact with nature and animals, jump hopscotch, play with scissors, and sometimes pose in subtle set-ups that allow mom to focus on formal elements—the light and texture of a green wall, the roughness of a tree’s bark—while still keeping an eye on her brood. Admittedly, there’s the occasional image that could pass for a shot out of the J. Crew catalogue, but that’s more the fault of the general cultural appeal of good-looking children, and the marketing world’s vast ability to take advantage of it. On the whole, Lewis seems to have found a beautiful solution for the creative, stay-at-home parent: make your children part of your work. They’re your life, after all, and they’re not only deeply inspiring but also ever-present. Who ever came up with the idea of keeping it all separate, anyway? Clearly not someone with children.
—Lori Waxman