You have such pretty....

Baby feet

I noticed a common physical trait among most of the Hondurans that I met when I first visited La Ceiba, Honduras. It was one of the first things that I noticed about El Jefe, too. I don't know if it is common throughout Honduras or more in the north coast area. It's something that I still often notice with envy today.

No, not feet, but hands. So many of the Honduran people have the most beautiful, tiny and delicate hands. Even many of the construction workers, who work with concrete and do rough jobs all day long, will have delicate looking hands with the long, thin, tapered fingers. I used to think that I had nice small hands, but now I try to hide them away. ;-)

I had the idea that I wanted to do a photo array of Honduran hands. After trying to get a few photos, I think I'm going to have to give up on that idea.

First, I'm not that good a photographer and really don't know how to arrange the hands. Second, everyone acted like I was crazy or up to something because I wasn't taking photos of their faces. Third, even family members seemed very self-conscious about their hands even though I would tell them that I wanted to photograph them because they were so pretty.



Their hands would usually start out very stiff and claw-like, like this (above). I pick up the hands, gently straighten out the fingers and place them back down. Boing! Stiff and self-conscious again. I pick up the hands again, and rub them a little until they relax, and gently place them back down. Boing! Stiff again. I try again, telling them how pretty their hands are while massaging them a little. Finally they relax, but still the pose isn't natural.

In this first photo, B is pressing down her fingers hard against the table as if she was being fingerprinted. After I rubbed her fingers for a minute and assured her that I liked her hands very much, she finally relaxed a little (photo below).

El Jefe also thinks it is weird to take photos of hands. I don't think I would have the nerve to ask a stranger to let me photograph their hands.

I don't think these photos do them justice, but if you come to Honduras, check out the hands and see if you agree.


Here are two of my models. Aren't they adorable?


They are both nieces. Abby, on the left, didn't understand why I would take a photo of her hands and demanded that I take a photo of her feet, too. Hahaha. Hence, the photo at top. She was pleased with the photo.

I think those were new shoes. I remarked at how big her feet were, and she squealed with pleasure, "Si!". She's four and still at an age where big feet are something to be proud of.