mothers and daughters

I seldom get the chance to photograph children over the age of 4 or 5 ... babies and toddles are the norm for me and I have had a vision for a girl of 8 or 9 walking in the woods on a beautiful day for several months. I have literally dreaming of this scene, and my dreams are always in a warm yellow light with golden grass. The girl has long flowing hair and a quick smile. My dream, literally, came true. This week I have been staying with friends in MA because I have a trip planned to Pennsylvania and I had shoots scheduled here in MA. It was just easier than commuting to Maine. But its been great because I have REALLY been able to connect with the most important women (other than my mom and sister) in my life and spend some serious quality time.
Jen and Julia have been my amazing best friends since the tender age of 15. I met them when I was the new kid in high school and in a very very vulnerable state! Jen and Julia embraced me and we were fast friends! Here it is, 20 years later and we still confide in each other, help each other when we can, and bounce ideas for work and business when we need it. They are an ear, a sounding board, a place to stay... and my sisters. Julia had surgery last week on her wrist and needed a helping hand around the house... and I was more than happy to oblige. We had so much fun, we shot and shot and shot. I was able to get priceless shots of her and her beautiful 8 year old daughter Sage. Sage became the girl in my dreams ... when she starting walking down the path in the woods my heart literally skipped a beat when I saw through the lens what I had been seeing in my dreams.
These images are the result of that day. I hope I captured the spirit of this beautiful girl... her curiosity, her love for nature and the wild (she wants to save the african elephant) and her sprite like personality. I adore her and she is exactly the daughter I knew Julia would have.
I am so proud of both my friends... they are such wonderful moms. Sometimes I feel so much older because they have much younger children than me. But I had Thomas when I did for a reason and I think part of it was to be the sage that they will need as their children grow... and they keep me young :)