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.

A Kiss for Baby Brother, Marin County, California

Classy Ladies in the Rain, Paris

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

Amanda, Marin County, California

Guatemalan Women, Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship Recipients (except Jacque)

Little Girl, Guatemala

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

Umbrellas at the Eiffel Tower

A Little Salsa In the Streets of Antigua

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

Female Statue, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

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

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

Lori Nelson, An American in Paris

Grandmother’s Pearls, Marin County, California

Colorful Textile Seller, Panajachel, Guatemala

The Offering Bearer, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Woman with Flat Basket and Conical Hat. Hanoi, Vietnam

Red, Paris

Profile View of the Offering Bearer

In the home of a Guatemalan woman

Jacque and Scottie

Tree Hug Near Muir Woods National Park, California

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

Sunrise, Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Female Horse Rider, Hyde Park, London

Aphrodite, Known as Venus de Milo, Louvre

Barrel Racer, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

Modern Monochrome Stained Glass Madonna. Vatican City

Female Sculpture, Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

Look at Me and My Mussels!

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Vietnamese Nursing Instructors Learning Teaching Methods. Hanoi, Vietnam

Young Female Loom Artist, Antigua, Guatemala

Penguin interactions at the California Academy of Sciences

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

Jacque – Ready to Explore Antigua, Guatmala

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

Vietnamese Musician. Hanoi, Vietnam

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

Reading On the Metro, Paris

Woman Wearing Hijab

Street Photo, Paris

Ishtar: Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Sex

Guatemalan Women (Except for Jacque)

Sunset Walk Along the Seine, Paris

Jacque – Shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala

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

Little Girl, Guatemala

Paris Sentinels

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

Young Ladies, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Street Photo, Paris

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

Paris Painter

Along the Via Sacra, Rome

A Walk Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Kristine and Sadie Enjoying the Beach, Stinson Beach, California

San Francisco Metallic

Laughing Friends. Vietnamese Coffee, Hanoi, Vietnam

Guatemalan Woman, Chimaltenango

Fingerpainting

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

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

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