Today marks International Women’s Day! To commemorate, here is a gallery of some of the women I’ve photographed in various parts of the world over the last few years. Most are just going about their days, some are sculptural renditions, and their is one painting of a very special lady, indeed. Whatever they are doing, wherever they are, they sparkle both individually, and as a colorful, beautiful mosaic.

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Paris Sentinels

Jacque – Ready to Explore Antigua, Guatmala

Colorful Textile Seller, Panajachel, Guatemala

Guatemalan Women, Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship Recipients (except Jacque)

Little Girl, Guatemala

An American Woman Reading on Board a Junk in Halong Bay, Vietnam

Modern Monochrome Stained Glass Madonna. Vatican City

A Walk Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Skeletons and Lace, Cour d’Honneur, Palais Royal, Paris

In the home of a Guatemalan woman

Penguin interactions at the California Academy of Sciences

Guatemalan Women (Except for Jacque)

“That Seal is So Big!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Tree Hug Near Muir Woods National Park, California

San Francisco Metallic

Female Statue, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Grandmother’s Pearls, Marin County, California

Red, Paris

Reading On the Metro, Paris

Jacque and Scottie

Lori Nelson, An American in Paris

Lynne and Ashley, Mother and Daughter, Marin County, CA

Sunrise, Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Beautiful Vietnamese Women (and a Couple of American Ones, Too!) Hanoi, Vietnam

Street Photo, Paris

Along the Via Sacra, Rome

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Native American Princess, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

Female Sculpture, Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

Amanda, Marin County, California

Shy. On the Bus to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Long Beach, California

Profile View of the Offering Bearer

The Offering Bearer, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Concern on a Second Grade Teacher’s Face. Aquarium of the Pacific Field Trip, Long Beach, California

Little Girl, Guatemala

Sunset Walk Along the Seine, Paris

Umbrellas at the Eiffel Tower

Guatemalan Woman, Chimaltenango

Wonder at the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Kristine and Sadie Enjoying the Beach, Stinson Beach, California

Vietnamese Musician. Hanoi, Vietnam

Aphrodite, Known as Venus de Milo, Louvre

Street Photo, Paris

Woman with Flat Basket and Conical Hat. Hanoi, Vietnam

Laughing Friends. Vietnamese Coffee, Hanoi, Vietnam

Young Ladies, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Classy Ladies in the Rain, Paris

Praying Madonna, Picture Over my Bed, The Convent of Suore Elisabetta dell’Olmata, Rome, Italy

Fingerpainting

Golden Curls and a Smile. Matt Davis Trail, Marin County, California

Woman Wearing Hijab

Paris Painter

Vietnamese Nursing Instructors Learning Teaching Methods. Hanoi, Vietnam

Female Horse Rider, Hyde Park, London

Look at Me and My Mussels!

Jacque – Shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala

Barrel Racer, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

A Little Salsa In the Streets of Antigua

A Kiss for Baby Brother, Marin County, California

Young Female Loom Artist, Antigua, Guatemala

Ishtar: Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Sex

“I’m Flying!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Skeletons and Lace, Cour d’Honneur, Palais Royal, Paris

Taken individually, each is cause for celebration in her own right. When considered as symbolic of all of us women, the collage forms a pleasing and consistent whole.

For International Women’s Day 2016, Google travelled around the world and asked women to complete the phrase #OneDayIWill. Here are some great responses from London:

#OneDayIWill visit the North and the South Poles and every country in between!

#OneDayIWill fly!!! This latter dream I posted on Twitter and Google responded! Here’s the Twitter conversation:

@renate_flynn Fly on! #OneDayIWill pic.twitter.com/BOVujuBTdC

— Google (@google) March 9, 2016

“I’m Flying!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California