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.

San Francisco Metallic

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

Young Female Loom Artist, Antigua, Guatemala

Female Sculpture, Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

Red, Paris

Jacque – Shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala

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

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

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

In the home of a Guatemalan woman

Classy Ladies in the Rain, Paris

Sunset Walk Along the Seine, Paris

Barrel Racer, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

The Offering Bearer, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Amanda, Marin County, California

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

Modern Monochrome Stained Glass Madonna. Vatican City

A Kiss for Baby Brother, Marin County, California

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

Female Statue, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Little Girl, Guatemala

Vietnamese Musician. Hanoi, Vietnam

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

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

Grandmother’s Pearls, Marin County, California

Profile View of the Offering Bearer

Guatemalan Women (Except for Jacque)

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

Sunrise, Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Ishtar: Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Sex

Female Horse Rider, Hyde Park, London

Guatemalan Woman, Chimaltenango

Fingerpainting

Kristine and Sadie Enjoying the Beach, Stinson Beach, California

A Little Salsa In the Streets of Antigua

Along the Via Sacra, Rome

Jacque – Ready to Explore Antigua, Guatmala

Guatemalan Women, Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship Recipients (except Jacque)

Woman Wearing Hijab

Little Girl, Guatemala

Jacque and Scottie

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

Colorful Textile Seller, Panajachel, Guatemala

Street Photo, Paris

Laughing Friends. Vietnamese Coffee, Hanoi, Vietnam

Paris Sentinels

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

Tree Hug Near Muir Woods National Park, California

A Walk Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Street Photo, Paris

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

Young Ladies, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Look at Me and My Mussels!

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

Reading On the Metro, Paris

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Aphrodite, Known as Venus de Milo, Louvre

Lori Nelson, An American in Paris

Umbrellas at the Eiffel Tower

Vietnamese Nursing Instructors Learning Teaching Methods. Hanoi, Vietnam

Woman with Flat Basket and Conical Hat. Hanoi, Vietnam

Penguin interactions at the California Academy of Sciences

Paris Painter

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

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