Donna Storen - at a reflective age (somewhere in her 40's)

I have known Donna about 12 years now. Our first-borns were at school together and are now at university on different sides of the world.

Donna helped select the images displayed here. I had made a short list and had some favourites but a few of those were discarded and a few others added.

Donna is rarely photographed because she prefers being behind the camera. A lot of us are like that. So the process of being shot was a novelty. She loved the experience but was a bit shocked (startled? confronted?) by the results.

Donna brought along a few costume changes and we had more fun working with the dress she had bought for a ball but never actually worn because she didn't end up going. Long story... 

I liked this because it contrasted her glamourous side with her more rugged golf-obsessed and suntanned lifestyle. It presented an interesting contrast of textures and personality.

So, why 'shocked'? Well, women are always tough to photograph. As a man I'm amused (but understand) how a woman will look at herself and just see problems, no matter how favourably her genes, life and ageing may have treated her. This is not such a problem for men, although we are all confronted by the mismatch between our self-image and the photographed-image (particularly as we age).

But this was never a glamour shoot. It was about capturing an attractive woman at a particular point in her life, "somewhere in her 40's" she tells me. With the right treatment a photograph can be flattering, but my objective is to tell a story of life. This is why we chose the main 'reflective' image. Donna preferred the image with me in it for the humour and to prove she is willing to be photographed ...if she must. 

I have included other images to flesh out Donna a bit more, particularly for others who know her.