Hands...part of my photo project from January 2011

When I saw the call for entries for theme of the human hand for the TerabellaMedia photo contest, I knew I had to enter this photo of my girls' hands.

Count the fingers!

My youngest was born without a thumb on her left hand. A few months before I shot this photo, in October 2010, surgeons at Shriner's Hospital in Philadelphia gave her a thumb by moving her index finger to be her new thumb. She spent much of 2011 in occupational therapy, or "pinch-pinch" learning how to use it and was finished therapy in just 10 months rather than the expected 12-18!

My photo won third place in the contest! I even won a cash prize!

Take a look at all the winners here

Beautiful and poignant photos!