It began a few years ago, photographing my own daughter. I cringe when I think back on it. I had put her in a dress that I liked and asked her to sit on a stump in a great patch of light. But she wouldn’t look at the camera. She was absorbed watching a group of people walking by, in the cautious, observant way she does. I was frustrated with myself – my head was full of other people’s rules about portraits and how little girls should be portrayed. I realised in that moment that her stance and expression was completely her. I could see her cautiousness, her wilfulness and her strength. In this moment, holding herself in that way, I realised my daughter could grow up to be a woman who isn’t afraid to say no. I have this hanging on our wall at home to remind me.

I want other parents to see the deep potential of their kids in the portraits I take. When I say I prefer non-smiling portraits, it’s not that I seek out the opposite – stone cold, dark expressions from my subjects. I believe that any human expression that comes from within, in response to life (and not a camera), is very beautiful. We humans have a myriad of ways we express our feelings. And when that offers an insight into the character of a subject in an image, it’s very moving.

I believe in letting kids be themselves in front of the camera. *Especially* little girls. Most agree today that we want our little girls to grow up strong, confident individuals so they can simply be themselves – and lots of progress is being made. But we need to continue to find ways to break down unhelpful expectations placed on them. Girls feel the expectations of society on their appearance loud and clear, and that inhibits their natural expression. Little girls grow into bigger girls who soon see a whole world pour in through their phones or devices on social media, without a filter. I wonder if we can help girls learn that they don’t have to perform for a camera, that the world would prefer to see who they are, rather than how pretty/pouty/skinny/well dressed they are.

One small way I want to help in my work is by dispelling the idea that young girls must smile, sit up straight and be sweet for a camera.

To me, smiling expresses one fraction of the many states of feeling we humans experience. Personally, it’s not always the most interesting photographically. A natural smile, a truly happy one that is expressed without performance for the camera, is absolutely beautiful. But an image of a subject who is smiling to perform for the camera doesn’t always feel natural or enlightening. To me, any expression that is natural and honest is powerful.

In my portrait work I strive to achieve this quality of natural expression with my subjects because I believe it is more relatable. This relies on a good connection between me and the subject and that is one of the most exciting parts of photography for me. 

Kids, especially, are generally more in tune with their natural expressions – having not quite adopted the art of masking their emotional responses the way adults do. And this is why I love kids portraiture so much. I have found in my work though, that some kids have learned to adopt a ‘camera face’. They’ve been taught to smile and/or be sweet and/or sit up straight for the camera. I find this sad for girls. I like to allow girls to release that need to please and rather, to be seen for who they are.

Here is a series of portraits of girls to demonstrate my point.  These portraits, to me, are evocative and tell us something important about each of them.

A photographer in the United States, Kate T. Parker, launched a book and movement titled Strong is the New Pretty  which celebrates girls simply being themselves. It’s a brilliant book if you’re wanting some inspiration for your own little girl/s.