ABOUT THE SERIES
The idea:
This series was inspired by a candid shot I took at youth hockey tournament. The 7-year-old player was waiting for his turn to take the ice, and when he turned to look at me, the look in his eyes said, “We’re not here to have fun.” His expression struck me and I immediately loved the photo. It reminded me of when I was his age, a passionate basketball player who took the game seriously, who could never practice enough, played sick, tired, injured, with the boys, when I was the youngest player on the court, when my team was down by 30 or up by two heading into the 4th quarter. My teammates and I felt a kinship in our intensity for the game that forged lifetime friendships. Girls going after what they want with unabashed drive, knowing no limits to their reach. With this series, I am looking for female athletes of all sports and ages to capture that passion for the sport, that intensity at an age where they’re learning, growing, becoming who they are, and discovering their power.
What a session includes:
We’ll head to the softball diamond, the basketball court, the soccer field, whichever local spot you play your sport. Our session together will start with some traditional portraits of each athlete in their uniforms with their gear, for their families, to share with friends, for their yearbook photo, or whatever they like. These are the smiling photos.
The second part of the session, each girl will put away their smile and put on their game face. We’ll mess up your hair, dirty up your uniform, put on eye black, make you glisten with sweat and shoot your portrait again – this time looking like a total badass. You’ll dig into the game you love with some action shots. I’ll ask you a few questions as we shoot about your experience playing the game and what it’s like to be a girl in sports today.
The goals:
To provide each girl with athletic portraits. I wish I had these kinds of photos from when I played competitively, because it was – and still is – a huge part of who I am. I want the photos to serve as a reminder of how tough they really are when they’re not sure they can get through the school day, they fight with a friend, or they struggle with family difficulties. I want them to be able to share them with their sons and daughters, even grandchildren, and show them a piece of who their loving matriarch was, and still is on the inside.
To show each athlete’s game face. Girls are often expected to be pretty, to play tough, but not THAT tough. To take the game seriously, but not at the expense of their femininity. I believe each female athlete is intense, competitive, skilled, driven, capable, passionate, beautiful and tougher than anyone realizes. We are all fighters – and that’s what I want to be able to show.
The Result:
On my website, I’ll align one “game face” portrait with an action shot of each athlete. Their first name, age, position (if applicable), and a quote “in her own words” will accompany the display. They’ll also be shared on social media, but only tagged if the athlete/family wants to be.
All photos will be shared with the athlete in a digital album, with a print release to reproduce the photos any way participants would like, social media included.
If any of the photos are chosen for display, I will alert participants of when & where.
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