Sea Change

Sea Change is a longitudinal portrait study of seventeen girls photographed over time, each holding a lobster. The project was inspired by the fearless way my daughters handled a live lobster—legs wiggling, tail snapping. 

Like the lobster that molts, adolescence is a time of shedding and vulnerability. Each subject responds differently: some appear cautious, others proud or nonchalant. These gestures reveal facets of character. One girl’s father held the lobster for her; others cradled it, squirmed, or raised it aloft triumphantly.

Posing with fish or lobster for the camera echoes a long vernacular tradition known as the “Big Catch.” Earlier black-and-white snapshots show men and women alike displaying their catch. Today, on social media, the photos more often features men holding up their trophy. The Sea Change portraits reference this legacy, adopting the familiar hero pose.

Across the series of photographs, each subject’s individuality emerges through clothing, makeup, posture, and attitude. The background mirrors these changes, as the ocean shifts in light, color, and tide. Over time, the portraits reveal the process of growing up—learning to handle tough, spiky situations, discovering what matters, and beginning to find their voice.