Another 52 Weeks

Spotlight / Shoot Spotlight
Melanie Acevedo
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Emilie McKittrick
Sep 3, 2020
“What I felt for my daughter bypassed the language center of my brain altogether. . . Did I love her? The word seemed puny in the face of such an intense and fundamental sense of connection with another human being …" ‑ Harriet Brown 
 
Photographer Melanie Acevedo feels this way about her daughter and son fifty‑two weeks a year, so the quote felt like an appropriate way for her to set the tone for a photographic blog focusing on her children. While many parents would agree with this quote, Melanie channeled these emotions through her camera lens and embarked on a project she called 52 Weeks, photographing her children every week for a year.  The one‑year mark came and went, but Melanie felt so inspired by the process she renamed the blog Another 52 Weeks and has been shooting this passion project for over a decade with no plans to stop.  

The resulting images are far more than personal snapshots of the family. For Melanie, who often shoots celebrities and advertising, turning the lens on her own kids allowed her to capture a rare and intimate glimpse into the inner lives of children.  

Melanie approaches this strategically – leaving cameras at the ready around her home so she can swiftly snap spontaneous moments as they happen. Whether poignant, quiet moments of reflection or messy, silly moments of revelry, she manages to capture them without any setup, styling, or direction – and allows them to unfold organically. Sometimes the kids don’t notice their mom’s camera, other times they strike a pose and ham it up as only a child who knows the person behind the lens will do. There are also instances when they do not want to be photographed at all and cover their faces or run ‑ but it’s clear the camera is part of their everyday lives.  

These images provide us, the viewer, a remarkable time capsule of candid, everyday scenarios that meaningfully convey universal ideas around togetherness, connection, curiosity, excitement, growth, play, and celebration. “It is my legacy to my children,” says Melanie and we are fortunate to be able to share that legacy.

Rites Interrupted