My Girls

by Jeanne Dao

“In this series of photos, I attempt to show a side of women where they are free of any social injunctions, shedding light on moments of life where women do not have society’s gaze on their shoulders. I think this represents a glimpse of the complexity of one’s journey through girlhood and womanhood.”

GIRLHOOD

The first photo shows a little sister's hair being cut by her big sister, a casual family chore. 

The second shows a young woman dressing her roommate's hair. They also act like members of the same family inside their house. 

The same event is here depicted in the two first homes a woman can know in her life. We copy patterns with our first new family that is not a blood one, to re-interpret what family means to us

TEENAGEHOOD

The silly era. Here you have pictures of my women starting to emancipate, to experience. Experience could be the word I would choose to define what I observed of this era in one's life. I feel like it's where I found the strongest signs of characters. They give, they show : looks, smiles, self-assurance. Personalities are out.

EMERGING

When you try to be an adult, and surprisingly, you succeed in your own way. I love how I can see women of my surrounding become more confident, independent and strong in a quiet way. We know who know who she is, in a quiet way. It is still difficult to claim who we are. What I am trying to do is to capture them when they appear strong without knowing it, when I see confidence and ease in their gestures.

ELDERY

I cannot speak from experience concerning the old age. What I can speak about is the perspective I have, as a girl in my 20s, observing the older women I admire. 

I have a special relationship with photographing my grandmother. She has Alzeihmers and every picture I take of her makes me feel like I can save some moment, some memoriy she would forget.