In this photo, you’ll see two hands: one of them is the hands of an elder, as you can see age spots and light wrinkles beginning to appear. The other hand belongs to someone younger, because of the size and the lack of texture. Our eyes are immediately drawn to the center, seeing the bright orange fruit in the palms of the older figure. The open palms indicate that that person is handing the orange off to the cameraman; their hands are resting in a very gentle cupped position. The context behind this image is me and my grandfather during the month of  Moon Festival this year when my grandparents went to the local market and bought an abundant amount of mandarin oranges. Oranges in Chinese culture represent good luck and wealth because of the bright orange color, symbolizing gold. During the month of the Moon Festival, my grandmother cooks us a wide variety of Chinese foods, as we go down to their retirement center to visit them. Right before this image was taken, my grandfather instructed me to hold out my hands as he handed me the “sweetest” orange of the batch. 

This capture meant a lot to me because it both shows the age connection and bridging that gap between generations (as seen by the dichotomy of the two hands’ appearance), and also shows the importance of giving, even when it’s the best of the batch. Visiting my grandparents has become a weekly activity for me and my family, and as we all grow older, I feel the significance of checking up on your relatives, especially when there’s a physical distance between us. Centering the photo on just our hands emphasizes that our hands are what we use to create, do, make, and feel with. Our hands are what brings us together, the physical connection can be crossed by the touch of our fingers, and I feel that the palm of our hands often symbolizes a sense of peace. Love can be shown in many ways, and in this case, I’m highlighting generosity, care, and sharing. The gesture of the orange shows how our relatives, who have lived a long life already, enjoy passing on wisdom, advice, love, and care to the younger generation. Being able to share something so valuable with another person illustrates the bond two people can have with each other despite having a physical distance between them. That’s exactly how I feel with my grandparents, and I know that in any world, we would be able to bridge the gap between us through sharing what we know, love, and also our favorite foods!