Grandma Colunga

Photographer: Lauren Alaniz
Pictured: Oralia Colunga

Categories: 2020, Color

This is a photo of my grandmother-in-law, Mrs. Colunga, and her grandson. This simple photo of them smiling and spending time together on the front porch says a lot about her journey of healthy aging. I took this photo because I wanted to capture a few key factors that show the way in which Mrs. Colunga has aged. She has been able to maintain an active and radiant glow through the natural aging that has occurred which can be seen in her smile and posture. Mrs. Colunga also shows she is still cognitively and physically present with her loved ones by being able to take care of her grandson. The last thing this photo captured is her actions in primary prevention by wearing a wide brim hat and long sleeves on a sunny day. This is so that her skin will be protected from damage, further aging, and potential generation of skin cancer. These three facets pulled from the photo play a role in showing how I believe this woman is aging successfully, gracefully, and beautifully.

- Lauren Alaniz