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.

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

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

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

Ishtar: Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Sex

Guatemalan Women, Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship Recipients (except Jacque)

Penguin interactions at the California Academy of Sciences

Little Girl, Guatemala

Young Ladies, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Modern Monochrome Stained Glass Madonna. Vatican City

Along the Via Sacra, Rome

Umbrellas at the Eiffel Tower

Guatemalan Women (Except for Jacque)

In the home of a Guatemalan woman

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

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

Grandmother’s Pearls, Marin County, California

Aphrodite, Known as Venus de Milo, Louvre

Colorful Textile Seller, Panajachel, Guatemala

A Kiss for Baby Brother, Marin County, California

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Sunrise, Tikal National Park, Guatemala

San Francisco Metallic

Lori Nelson, An American in Paris

Laughing Friends. Vietnamese Coffee, Hanoi, Vietnam

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

The Offering Bearer, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Amanda, Marin County, California

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

Female Statue, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Paris Painter

Female Horse Rider, Hyde Park, London

Vietnamese Nursing Instructors Learning Teaching Methods. Hanoi, Vietnam

A Little Salsa In the Streets of Antigua

Little Girl, Guatemala

Young Female Loom Artist, Antigua, Guatemala

Female Sculpture, Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

Street Photo, Paris

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

Look at Me and My Mussels!

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Sunset Walk Along the Seine, Paris

Profile View of the Offering Bearer

Woman with Flat Basket and Conical Hat. Hanoi, Vietnam

Paris Sentinels

Kristine and Sadie Enjoying the Beach, Stinson Beach, California

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

Barrel Racer, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

Vietnamese Musician. Hanoi, Vietnam

A Walk Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Guatemalan Woman, Chimaltenango

Jacque – Ready to Explore Antigua, Guatmala

Red, Paris

Jacque and Scottie

Fingerpainting

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

Woman Wearing Hijab

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

Reading On the Metro, Paris

Street Photo, Paris

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

Classy Ladies in the Rain, Paris

Tree Hug Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Jacque – Shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala

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

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