These last few days, I made tons and tons of pictures of my little nephew (in Dutch, nephew and cousin are the same word, "neef", and I keep confusing the two). Felt I had to, for my sister and for myself somehow.

He has a big sister, ten years older than him. My father used to photograph her all the time, he loved her so much. He made such wonderful portraits of her, they had this magical connection - like I did with him. He wasn't even her 'real' grandfather, as my sister and I have different fathers, but it didn't seem to matter at all. My father translated his love for her with his camera, and every time I see his photographs hanging in my sisters house, I feel his love again.

He died about five years ago. While he was alive, I never quite 'got' why he had to make so many photo's all the time. As far as I know, he had no great artistic ambitions, he just needed to record what was dear to him, what was wonderful or original or different, without any pretense. And I admire him greatly for that, I just wish I could have seen it when he was still alive.

My nephew looks so much like his big sister did at that age. I have to make pictures of him, and I hope it somehow shows just a little part of how much I love him. And how much I love my father.