*By Devon Tincknell
Remember that scene in Snow White where she has to tidy up and all the animals from the forest pitch in to help? The way her purity and innocence contrasted with the wooly citizens of the natural world? Well, Robin Schwartz took that simple formula of “cute, young girl + animal” and with the help of her own daughter, Amelia, turned it into a stunning series entitled “Amelia’s World.” An assistant professor of photography at William Paterson University, Schwartz positioned her own flesh and blood next to a wide variety of furry faces, ranging from the standard American mutt to the exotic kangaroo.
While some photos invoke a spooky tableau of foggy forests or carefully posed glamor shots, others resemble a humble visit to a really, really kick ass petting zoo. And then there’s “Amelia and Ricky, 3 and 2 years old” which kind of reminds me of Michael Jackson’s old buddy Bubbles. Of course, no matter what icons Schwartz’s images might jog in my memory, I am awfully jealous her daughter. In addition to a childhood spent passing time with deer, llamas, and lemurs, she’s also going to be the proud owner of the coolest family photo album ever when she grows up.
