My daughter has never been one to embrace “girly.” As a very young child, she didn’t take to pretty dresses or bows. She chose Diego over Dora. Her hair, even freshly brushed, is in a state of constant disarray and I swear it actually repels hair accessories that attempt to tame the beast. I find all of this humorous, endearing, sometimes frustrating, and even familiar.
When Heather told me one day about her little girl, Wren, with tomboyish tendencies and a special enchantment with insects, I knew I had an opportunity to capture a narrative about mothers and daughters and how similar they are, even if on the surface they appear to be very different. We took a number of shots (See more on my Instagram feed) but I felt this one best summed up my take on the relationship we share with our daughters. Even though the setting is similar in all of the photographs, the stories in each are a little bit different.
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This image has lived in many nebulous versions in my head for a few years. I see it as a pretty picture, with an elegant woman modeling traditional femininity for her daughter. Her beautiful daughter, feminine in her own right, is interested in more tomboyish curiosities. But more than that, I see Wren as a likeness of Heather herself, perhaps as a little girl, perhaps as a reflection of how she embodies and encourages curiosity, imagination, and independence. Wren stays near her, a part of the scene, but in her own world at the same time. Furthermore, maybe you get a glimpse of this small child as she will be in the future.
As parents, we are constantly modeling even when we may not be aware our children are watching. As they grow, they do indeed mirror our own expressions, habits, language, and behaviors. As we watch our babies grow, it is fascinating to think of all the things they might become. But in trying to envision what the future brings for them, we might take a look in the mirror.
Check out more backstories to see how I try to capture with a camera the images I carry in my head.
