Grandmother of the Bride

In this portrait of a mature African American woman I set out to capture the the spirit of those women I knew growing up in the South. I met her at church, in the community and on the bus. She may have cleaned houses and tended other people's children on weekdays but she left all that behind on Sunday when she dressed up and took her place among the women of sanctity, dignity and pride who defied the stereotypes that the broader society placed on them and expressed their true selves.