Reflections

This is Addison... 

She is me, or rather I was her...about 20 years ago. From start to finish this session was chock full of sarcasm, quick wit and endearing complications. All I could do was laugh, because I'm certain that if I asked my mom to describe what I was like at twelve years old, she would have told a story of a precocious young lady much like the one I was photographing. "I can't get dressed yet - - my clothes are still wet! I have to go to the bathroom...I didn't have to go when we were at the house! There are bugs here...oh my gosh is that a snake!? I don't want to go there...why do we have to go there!?"  Secretly she was enjoying being the star, and it shows.  From sly grins to eye rolls, her personality shines through in every shot. 

There's a good chance that she will look back one day and remember being a child who was so eager to be a "grown up."  She may remember feeling defiant, pushing the boundaries, knowing it all...being stuck in that age where you're neither a child or an adult.  I remember that time.  Spending the afternoon with Addison brought those memories back to me like a flood.  I sat back behind the camera watching her, and seeing myself.  I felt like I should call my mom and thank her, share a laugh, apologize?  Instead I looked over at Addison's mom Mandy, and promised her that there was hope for her sweet, smart, clever, overwhelming pre-teen.  After all, look how well I turned out. ;)