Phanny is my best friend. Her family has an amazing story; they immigrated from Cambodia and came to the U.S. when she was just a baby. I never knew until she told me while we grazed at an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet at Punch Bowl Social on January 1, 2016. Her grandmother had nine children. One was lost while they were traveling from one village to another during the chaos of the Khmer Rouge regime. Naturally I was anxious to meet her grandmother AND mother, and Thanksgiving weekend gave us the perfect opportunity. I love photographing mothers and daughters. I think there is something powerful about capturing a portrait–not a lifestyle or action image–but a timeless, classic image that will be handed down from generation to generation. We met at Westwood Country Club for a quick mini-session. “Ma” was rather sober while the camera was clicking away, but afterward she laughed and hugged and kissed me. My favorite portrait is one we took outside, and she got distracted by her three-year-old great-grandson, Jordan. He made her smile.
