This is a self portrait of my daughter and I. This image speaks to me of the desire to both hold my child close, and yet to also show her the wide world waiting for her out there. She gazes out the window, and I with her, while she still reaches back to be sure that I am there for her. This is, to me, the essence and paradox of my role as a parent. I took this photo with natural light in a chiaroscuro lighting style hoping to achieve a painterly effect.