Sydney August 2013 – February 2014 (4 photos)
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
…
“I Am Woman” is a song written by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton and performed by Reddy. The song first appeared on Reddy’s debut album I Don’t Know How to Love Him, released in May 1971. A song celebrating female empowerment, it became an enduring anthem for the women’s liberation movement.
“I’m not a woman, I’m a force of nature.”
… Courtney Love (singer)
Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Such an appropriate song choice for pics of elderly women! It sure would have applied to my Mom!
Thank you. I think these women show a lot of inner strength, as you have shown your mother to have had.
Fine set of ‘iron ladies’. 🙂
Thank you.
Yes, indeed…
Inner strength is a powerful force.
Lovely strong faces to go with that song, all the more impact for being black & white.
Thank you. The first woman was dressed in very strong tones of red and purple, but the colour version just didn’t fit in well with the remainder of the photos.
Sounds like sticking to b & w was a good idea.
The colour version may appear at a later date, but definitely best left out of this one.
Beautifully expressive photos (each one a book of its own) & amazing words to accompany them! Wonderful work, well done 🙂
Thank you. These woman all looked so strong. I’m glad I could convey that.
You did indeed!
🙂
A nice series Lignum, love that song too 🙂
Thank you, Norma. All these woman looked very impressive.
I forgot to say that I love the fact that you chose mature women rather than young women. It refreshing 🙂
It just seemed like the right thing to do. Thanks.
I think she will roar!
And if she did, grown men would cower.
Or I’ll smack you with my cane 😉
I was thoughtful of that as I took her photo.
Fabulous portraits. So much spirit in these faces.
I think their inner strengths shine through. Thank you.
Wonderful, just wonderful. I love the strength of character and power that comes through in these portraits.
Thank you. I’m glad I could convey that sense of their personality through the photos.
Great images to go with the words….
Thank you. It was mother’s day, and this just seemed “right”.
Ah Helen Reddy. These songs take me back to the 70s.
Love those two songs and love your photography, too
Thank you. It was a timely song back in the day.
hello woody dragon,
lovely post and tribute to all mothers on mother’s day.
ken
Thank you Ken. It seemed a fitting tribute.
Nice series for the mothers day my friend! Have a wonderful day ahead!
Thank you. I hope you had a good day with family. Have a great week ahead.
Thank you!
Fabulous pics of some beautiful women. Love that Helen Reddy song and had that album! 😀
They all looked so strong of character. I couldn’t resist taking their photos. 🙂
This is a great song. Love these shots. Have a great day!
Thank you very much. Have a great day ahead too.
Great song, great women, great photos. You have done it again 😀
Thank you very much, Jude.
A great set of images, each is strong as everyone has commented but you get a sense of different types of strength from each 🙂
Thanks. All individuals with different paths in life, but all looking strong.
Very cool, Dragon! My old man is making me do 5-day hiking here. This post will give me the strength I need. 😀 Great photos, as always. Perfect for the theme. 🙂
Thanks, Amy. Good luck with the hike.
2 down, 3 days to go 🙂
Nice series, LD…and respectful of your subjects. Good job. I really like the lines in #3.
Thank you. They all just happened to pose perfectly for me. 🙂
You have captured such wonderful character in these images, Lignum!
Beautifully done.
Thank you very much, Lisa. Timely, with Mother’s Day just past.
I do remember that song. 🙂 I could also do all of “I can bring home the bacon, fry up in the pan…” My high school students at the time were amazed…in some fashion.
janet
LOL. I looked up those lyrics and got the Enjoli Ad. I don’t think we got that ad here in Australia. 🙂
Another great set of photos with a song to match perfectly. The first photo really grabs your attention with her wonderful sense of style even at an older age and the proud strong faces that followed, just magic 🙂
Thank you. You can’t help but feel respect, even know they are nameless. It’s all in the faces.
yep I think you captured that in your photos, the strength and proudness. 🙂
Thank you again.
Genial!! The portraits are superbes…It is very funny, because, in general, nobody chooses old women for photographies (but it does not happen the same with old men! ) I love all of them…And the lirycs…And I think it is very clever the last line, linking this post with the WPC “forces of nature”.
My congratulations!
Thank you. I don’t discriminate – I’ll shoot anyone. 🙂
Some of these WPC topics are very difficult for a street photographer. The last quote was initially the title for the post, until I remembered the song. The dragon’s mind works in mysterious ways.
🙂
Women were total survivors in those days. True class and grit with determination lined in love!
Thank you. Each generation faces its owns struggles, and hopefully comes out on top.
Beautiful expressive portraits and lovely words to accompany them. I love the last line, just appropriate for the WPC on Forces of Nature. A lovely juxtaposition of Mother’s Day and WPC’s Forces of Nature. Looking forward to more such awesome posts from you. 🙂
Thank you very much.
I love your absolutely crispy, clean and sharp b&w photographs!
I have a great respect for strong and wise, hopefully, elderly people, especially women, like these ladies! Congratulations for the choice of the song! 🙂
Thank you. It just seemed a perfect combination, following Mother’s Day. 🙂
Excellent sequence. Passed this on to family and friends. 🙂
Thank you very much.
Great song, great set of photos to go along with it. Those women you shot look like rather commanding. I hope none of them spotted you and your antics…
Thanks. Back in stealth mode again for these. That’s why the expressions are so unguarded and wonderful. 🙂
All these grand ladies look like they can probably roar very loudly! Perfect choice of song!
Thanks. I think you’re right.
Wonderful faces with lots of character. It makes the young look so un-formed. Perfect lyrics to match!
Their faces say so much. Natural beauty.
Oh, I just love this!! And, yes, I absolutely remember Helen Reddy and this song 😉 Wonderful photography with a wonderful message.
Thank you. It seemed like a fitting tribute for Mother’s Day.
I wouldn’t want to mess with any of them!
I’m glad they didn’t see me. Truly glad.
I wasn’t here yet to live through the original era of the song but I have heard it in the SATC 2 movie. 🙂 The portraits are beautiful Draco, you’ve wonderfully captured the elegance and wisdom of these ladies.
Thank you, Elina. I was around for the original era. 🙂 🙂 🙂
🙂
I really love the way you capture emotions, thoughts, moments on people’s faces. I very seldom take any pictures of people, maybe because I am afraid of disturbing them, maybe I am afraid of steeling something from them, maybe I am just too afraid to see how they are really, truly feeling.
How do you do it? How do you find the courage to just go, stop in front of them and take the picture? What happens after the picture has been taken?
My philosophy for recording life is the bushwalkers code: Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints. Invariably my photos are taken without me being noticed. I just continue to walk right past after snapping and never know what expressions or emotions I’ve captured until I get home. In this way, I’m capturing true random moments in time which I hope will serve as a record of time.
What a powerful and great serie !
Thank you very much.
It’s lovely to see older women featured with the mentioning of that song. So many times it seems that younger women are the ones featured to represent women. Often very beautiful women too. It’s odd to see so many images of beautiful women on the internet, when in reality, if you look around you – in the street, the supermarkets, most women are not at all (in terms of idealised beauty) most women are – ordinary. When they age, people almost don’t see them any more. I find that very sad. There should be more images of older women – definitely! 🙂
I wrote this post on Mother’s Day, so perhaps I was influenced by that, but it just seemed so right anyway featuring older women who look so confidant.
I guess the photos you see on the internet are what people think will be popular. Beauty and fashion influences a lot of people.
brilliant portraits!! am listening now to the song 🙂
Thank you. The song suits you. I hope it gives you the “lift” we all sometimes need.
These are all outstanding female character portraits. One of your best series 🙂
Thank you very much, Paula. 🙂
Wondeful pictures of these women with Helen Reddy’s classic song, Draco
Thanks. It seemed like an appropriate tribute.
Great post. Done with such respect.
Thank you.