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13 side-by-side portraits of people over 100 with their younger selves

These powerful before-and-after photos reveal just how beautiful aging can be.

via Jan Langer/Aktualne

Jan Langer's incredible photos are timeless.

Czech photographer Jan Langer's portrait series "Faces of Century" shows them in a different light: as human beings aged by years of experience, but at their deepest level, unchanged by the passing of time.

In the series, Langer juxtaposes his portraits with another portrait of the subject from decades earlier. He recreates the original pose and lighting as closely as he can — he wants us to see them not just as they are now, but how they have and haven't changed over time. That is the key to the series.

These are the rare faces of people who have lived through two world wars, a cavalcade of regimes, and the rush of advancements in modern life. These photos, and the stories of the lives lived by the people in them, show not only the beauty of aging, but how even as we age, we still remain essentially ourselves.


1. Prokop Vejdělek, at age 22 and 101

All photos by Jan Langer.

Vejdělek is a former metallurgical engineer who will never forget the taste of warm fresh goat's milk.

2. Bedřiška Köhlerová, at age 26 and 103

Originally born in Merano, Italy, Köhlerová wishes to visit Italy one more time.

3. Ludvík Chybík, at age 20 and 102

Chybík is a former postal carrier and says he will never forget the route he worked every day.

4. Vincenc Jetelina, at age 30 and 105

Jetelina spent eight years in prison after World War II. Now, he just wants to live the rest of his life in peace.

5. Marie Fejfarová, at age 101

Fejfarová burned all her material memories, including old photographs, when she decided to move to a long-term care facility. She lived a dramatic life, hiding from the Nazis and then the Russians, but eventually she was able to travel the world with her husband. Her experiences show there's no such thing as too late in life to start a new chapter.

6. Antonín Kovář, at age 25 and 102

Kovář is a former musician whose daughter comes to visit him every day. He wishes to play the clarinet once more.

7. Anna Vašinová, at age 22 and 102

Vašinová will always remember the day her husband was taken away by the Nazis. She wishes to be reunited with him after death.

8. Stanislav Spáčil, at age 17 and 102

Spáčil was an electrical engineer throughout his life and thinks that it's too early in his life to think about the past.

9. Anna Pochobradská, at age 30 and 100

Pochobradská was a farmer. She now lives a quiet life and is thankful that her daughter visits her every weekend.

10. Antonín Baldrman, at age 17 and 101

Baldrman was a clerk early in life and keeps up with current events by reading the newspaper.

11. Marie Burešová, at age 23 and 101

Burešová loves talking to her family and wishes to have them all together again.

12. Vlasta Čížková, at age 23 and 101

Čížková cooked in the dining room at the airport in the small village of Vodochody. She'll never forget reciting her own poetry at wedding ceremonies.

13. Ludmila Vysloužilová, at age 23 and 101

Vysloužilová stays active every day by chopping wood, shoveling snow, and doing work around her house.

The photographer Langer was initially inspired to document the lives of elderly people because of what he saw as the media's lack of coverage of them. He decided to focus on people over the age of 100 — a very rare demographic indeed. The 2010 U.S. Census reported only 53,364 centenarians, which is only 0.19% of the population of people 70 years or older.

“One should live every single moment according to their best knowledge and conscience because one day we will see clearly what has a real value," Langer says of what he learned from his subjects while photographing them.

The series was originally part of a story that Langer did for the Czech news outlet aktuálně.cz. You can see more photos from the portrait sessions by following the link.


This article originally appeared on 12.08.17.



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These stunning portraits of black girls rocking their natural hair are a must-see.

Atlanta-based CreativeSoul Photography brought an inspiring artistic vision to life that highlights the beauty of black girls and their natural hair.

Regis and Kahran are the husband-and-wife duo behind the photography studio, and their series "Afro Art" represents their expertise in capturing portraits as well as visual storytelling. The striking images feature young girls in elaborate costuming and hairstyles, from a Baroque-era aesthetic to steampunk clothing to fierce high-fashion ensembles.

The girls featured in "Afro Art" are stylish and carry themselves with confidence and grace. The feelings evoked from the series speak to the larger idea surrounding it. “We feel that it is so important for kids of color to be able to see positive images that look like them in the media,” Kahran told My Modern Met in an email. “Unfortunately the lack of diversity often plays into the stereotypes that they are not ‘good enough’ and often forces kids to have low self-esteem.”

All photos by CreativeSoul Photo, used with permission.

To help combat these negative feelings, the couple showcases kids who love how they look.

“We hope that viewers will see the beauty and versatility of afro hair,” Kahran explains, “and we hope that girls around the world will be inspired to love their unique differences and beauty within.”

"Afro Art" came together from CreativeSoul’s travels:

“We worked on these series in various states in the US (New York, California, Texas, Georgia). In each state, we created a different theme and came up with clothing pieces and accessories that went with that theme.”

Although meticulous in preparation, the duo still left some room for spontaneity. “On set, we just styled everything on the fly and worked with our hairstylist to create unique looks for each model.”

See how the different themes come together to make one gorgeously shot and styled series.

In their series "Afro Art," CreativeSoul Photography captures striking portraits of girls who are rocking their natural hair.

They feature black girls who wear elaborate Baroque-esque ensembles …

... as well as steampunk-inspired outfits …

… and many other styles.

The overall goal of "Afro Art" is to show kids of color more people that look like them in the media.

“We hope that girls around the world will be inspired to love their unique differences and beauty within,” Kahran explains.

This piece originally appeared at My Modern Met and is reprinted here with permission.

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From shoes to tennis rackets, she transforms everyday objects with lifelike embroidery.

Danielle Clough doesn't consider herself an artist, but she may be the only one.

"Honestly, I think of myself as a embroiderer," she writes in an e-mail interview. "Maybe it's because I don't feel I can put myself into the same category as some of my art heroes."

Clough may not put herself into the same category, but her work certainly does.

Clough's embroidered portrait of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Photo by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

The 28-year-old Cape Town native is a fiber artist, but her work isn't limited to traditional hoops or fabric.

She's embroidered chicken wire, tennis rackets, shoes — anything she's drawn to. Her lack of formal training provides a freedom and creativity that's tough to define.

Photo by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

"I've found that not knowing the rules has served me," she writes. "Sometimes the dos and dont's that you learn stop you from trying something and figuring out what it is you really enjoy."

Photo by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

Her unbridled passion and creativity led her to a unique project with the United Nations.

Yes, that United Nations.

The U.N. approached Clough and other artists to create pieces interpreting points on the agenda of the World Humanitarian Summit, held in May 2016.

Clough's commissioned piece spoke to the summit's initiative to "prevent and end conflict." An idea that was that substantial required a medium a bit bigger than a small patch or tennis racket, so Clough decided to embroider her first piece on a rusted piece of fence. She called it "Borders and Boundaries."

Photo by By Jono, used with permission from Danielle Clough.

"The ideas of boundaries and borders are very relevant today," she told Creative Boom. "Either feeling bound to them or trapped behind them; Our kindness and understanding depending on what side of the fence we are on. ... If we look at the things that divide us differently, if we see our differences as opportunity we can see that we are all stitched together. We can find peace."

Photo by By Jono, used with permission from Danielle Clough.

Clough's latest project is a series of embroidered portraits for the cover of the book "Queer Africa II."

The second anthology of short fiction stories celebrates of the diversity of African LGBTQ people and their love for each other and the continent they call home.

Clough found and photographed people who shared that vision, some complete strangers. Like all of her embroidered portraits, Clough used a black-and-white photograph as reference before coloring the faces in with thread.

Janine. Photos by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

Each portrait is barely a few inches tall, making the detail and lifelike work all the more impressive.

Qwezi. Photos by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

"I chose bright colors and images where gender and race lines could be blurred," Clough recalls. "I was most influenced by the subjects' personalities because of the time I spent with them, which was strangely comfortable and intimate."

Lesego. Photos by Danielle Clough, used with permission.

She kept in touch with each subject while she worked, turning the process into a unique shared experience, and even gifted them with a large print of their final artwork.

"That was really special," she writes.

From rackets to shoes to fences and back again, each piece Clough creates is vibrant, powerful, and truly unique...

...especially for someone who doesn't consider herself an artist.

"Like a builder or carpenter, I just want to make stuff."

Photo by By Jono, used with permission from Danielle Clough.

Family

7 older adults share the life lessons they'd give to their younger selves.

There's lots to learn from a walk down memory lane.

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Ad Council + Meals on Wheels

If you could tell your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

First off, no, we have not invented a time machine to actually help you do this. Second of all: This is serious! You can't just do the "Back to the Future Part II" thing where you give your former self a copy of a book of sports scores so they can bet on every game and win billions.

We see you, Biff Tanner. Both of you.

If you're like me — and it's totally fair if you're not, and I'm just a bit weird — you're probably taking a few minutes to think carefully about what you might say to a version of you from years or decades before. Would you suggest doing things differently or to keep on the same path? Would you talk of future love or caution about loss? Would you prefer to reveal what's to come or keep it a surprise?

Meals on Wheels posed this very question to some of the lovely humans who use their services across America. They shared the moments that moved them and the things they wish they’d known when they were younger. Here are seven of our favorites.

1. "Don't play tennis on Mother's Day — unless you're playing with her." — Stanley Smart

All images by Mark Seliger, used with permission.

Reserving Mother's Day for tennis matches is just one way Stanley "Royal" Smart honored the memory of his mom. For years, she sent birthday packets to friends and family on their birthdays. After she passed away, he took on the responsibility in her memory.

Stanley wants his former self to stay in touch with family and always "live life to the fullest."

2. "Stay open to adventure." — Lola Silvestri

Lola Silvestri always loved the fun and adventure of ice skating. Little did she know, it would end up being the hobby that led her to her beloved husband, Larry.

The two met at a rink in Santa Rosa, California, where Larry was training to become a professional hockey player. After two years of dating, they married. For 70 wonderful years, they shared a life of love, adventure, friends, family, and fun. She'd tell her younger self to "carry on with a sense of humor" and remember that close relationships with family and friends "mean everything to have a happier life in the years ahead."

3 & 4. "Never go to bed angry." — Charles and Maude Spann

Charles and Maude Spann have been married for an incredible 76 years. Their daughter Carol calls them the "most loving and understanding parents" and an "incredible pair."

As the family tells it, Charles fell instantly for Maude — and her fashionable pageboy haircut — after seeing her at church with his mother. After they married, Charles and Maude traveled the world, including a family cruise through the Panama Canal, where they held a surprise renewal of their wedding vows.

Though time has slowed them down, their love has kept them young at heart. They'd want their younger selves to know one thing: Accept each others' flaws and, above all, never ever go to bed angry at the person you love.

5. "Finish school." — Anna Bach

Anna Bach has a lot of advice for her younger self, particularly about prioritizing education and work. Along with focusing on her schooling, she said she'd tell her younger self to “have family a little later in life to save a little money. Buy homes and all that first before starting a family." Why? "Once you have a family, you are tied up, kind of," she says. "Buy a home first, because the rent you pay is all the time gone, and you have only receipts to show.”

6. "Don't be afraid to try something new. You can find adventure around the corner." — Phyllis Keppler

For Phyllis Keppler, wanderlust has always been a part of life. Working as a journalist, she had amazing opportunities to travel the world, from the jungles of South America to the deserts of the Middle East to active war zones, sometimes with her young children. Phyllis wouldn't have missed a second of any of it — and she'd encourage her younger self to dive in to new opportunities without hesitation.

“Don’t be afraid to venture out and try something new. Don’t always cling to what you know and traditions. Give it a try. I’ve done some strange things in my lifetime, and I don’t regret it at all.”

7. "Don’t always go with the flow. The flow always goes downhill." — Louis Clarizio

Louis Clarizio knows a lot about unconventional paths. In 1950, he became one of only six white professional baseball players to ever participate in the Negro Leagues. His career with the team didn't last long, but his love of baseball still keeps him going today. To his younger self, he'd share a choice batting tip: "When you get in the batter’s box, never look at any of the ball players. When you scan the field, scan only between them. Never look at anybody, just always scan between them. Then I guarantee you that ball will go between them when you hit it.”

However much we'd want — or wouldn't want — to send messages to our former selves, we can only guess what we might say, or whether it would have any impact on what happens next.

The best thing we can do is to listen to people who've lived much of their lives and learn from the words of wisdom they have for us.

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