Alison

" A true and well-regulated affection should be born and increase with the knowledge children give us of themselves; and then, if
they are worthy of it, the natural propensity going along with reason, we should cherish them with a truly paternal love; and we
should likewise pass judgment on them if they are otherwise, always submitting to reason, notwithstanding the force of nature. It
is very often the reverse; and most commonly we feel more excited over the stamping, the games, and the infantile tricks of our
children than we do later over their grown up actions, as if we had loved them for our pastime, like monkeys, not like men. And
some supply toys very liberally for their childhood, who tighten up at the slightest expenditure they need when they are of age.
Indeed it seems that the jealousy we feel at seeing them appear in the world and enjoy it when we are about to leave it makes us
more stingy and tight with them; it vexes us that they are treading on our heels, as if to solicit us to leave. And if we had that to
fear, then since in the nature of things they cannot in truth either be or live except at the expense of our being and our life, we
should not have meddled with being fathers."
-Montaigne

When my daughter Alison was born, in the tradition of a new parent, I began to photograph her, initially in a separate and private
body of work. However, in the process of documenting Alison's growth, I developed a passionate interest in human relationships
and capturing intimate moments in the lives of family and friends. This affected my photography in a profound way. Rather than
the isolated subjects of my earlier work, I became interested in the strength of relationships, oftentimes using personal
environments to amplify those conditions.

The significance of these pictures emerges in retrospect. I realize as I look at them, that I created a visual life story of Alison,
capturing moments in her metamorphosis from infant to woman-her relationships with friends, her rebellion, and underlying it
all, her relationship with me, a constant throughout her life. I wanted to photograph her in all her extremes, and to be part of these
times in her life without judging or censoring. Only in this way would I have a true portrait of Alison.