This project brought me into a cultural moment I hadn’t experienced before — the Upsherin, a celebration marking a child’s first haircut at age three. Though I do not share the same faith, I deeply value opportunities to witness and learn from rituals that hold meaning for others.

At its heart, this was a day about family, growth, joy, and community.

I approached it with the intention to honor the children, the beauty of their tradition, and the universal love that connects all of us, no matter our backgrounds or beliefs.

THE STORY

Children have a way of dissolving boundaries.They don’t see difference the way adults do.They simply see people — and they lead with openness, curiosity, and joy.

On this day, I stepped into a celebration rooted in a culture different from my own. Rather than focusing on the differences, I focused on what was unmistakably the same:

• The way parents look at their children with pride.

• The way siblings laugh and cling to each other.

• The way families gather to bless, support, and celebrate growth.

• The way innocence can fill an entire space with warmth.

Children are pure light — running, smiling, clinging to loved ones, experiencing their moment with the excitement only small children carry in their whole being.

This celebration, while new to me, felt familiar in the ways that matter most:

love, family, community, and the tenderness of watching children step into a new stage of life.

It reminded me that as storytellers, we have to be opent to connect to other cultures and background and we are meant to witness, to learn, and to honor the humanity in every moment no matter the differences.

THE CRAFT

Photographed on the Sony A1, this collection captures the blend of candid emotion and symbolic tradition:

• small hands clutching scissors

• curls falling softly during the first haircut

• joyful faces smeared with treats

• parents kneeling down to comfort, guide, and celebrate

• siblings bonding in their own gentle, playful world

I focused on natural light, authentic moments, and the small details that shape personal stories.

The goal wasn’t to document this special family moment not as an outsider — but to reveal the universal heart inside of it.

IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT

I believe God places us in certain spaces to learn, to grow, and to see the world through a wider lens.This experience reminded me that connection can exist even across differences — and that honoring someone else’s culture doesn’t diminish my own beliefs.

It simply expands my understanding of humanity.

Dovi and Isaac reminded me of the purity and simplicity of childhood.They reminded me that joy doesn’t need translation.And they reaffirmed why I do this work:

To capture life.

To honor people.

To preserve moments that reflect love — in all the forms it appears.

WRITTEN BY: Scarlett Islas

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Scarlett Islas