On Seeing, A Journal. #491

Growing Up: Juno and Dallas Gaughan

August 23, 2022

 

Mary Beth (Mom), with 17 lbs of twins; two weeks before giving birth.

I first met Mary Beth when she was 38 weeks pregnant.

She was a Police Officer/Park Ranger for the National Park Services’ Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just North of the Golden Gate Bridge, at the Southern tip of Marin County, California.

After she gave birth to her twin daughters she regularly brought them to our studio, to be included in “Growing Up.”

And, she became a friend. She arranged for me to gain access to the top of the South tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, where I made this photograph and many others. For this experience, I have been immensely grateful.
From the top of the South tower of the GG Bridge, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Marin County in a view to the North.
The Pacific Ocean on the left is joined to the San Francisco Bay.

 

4 days old. Dallas, left; Juno, right

I have studied over 200 children from childhood into their 20’s. I began with some when their mothers were pregnant, as was the case with Mary Beth, the mother of Dallas and Juno. For all of them I made annual studio portraits and asked them to write answers to a series of questions, a kind of diary about their lives, their feelings, their hopes, their regrets.
These special young women, Dallas and Juno, proved to be as remarkable and authentic as the many young people I have had the privilege to get to know.

3 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right

 

8 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right
8 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right

 

9 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right
9 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right

 

10 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right
10 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right

 

15 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right
15 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right

 

17 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right
17 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right

 

27 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right
27 years. Dallas, left; Juno, right

 

27 years. Mary Beth, left; Dallas, center; Juno, right

 

Thank you, Mary Beth. You did amazing parenting with two special daughters.

Thank you, Dallas and thank you, Juno. I hope we’ll again see you both, and mom, in a few years.

9 years and 27 years. Juno, left; Dallas, right in both photos.

The “Growing Up “Project:

I am interested in everything about human development. I am fascinated by maturation, growth, emotional, educational and physical development. My exploration, a major 30 year odyssey, has been an adventure that has yielded riches beyond my imagining.

Permission was signed by the parents of each and every child every year, and by the participants themselves once they turned 18. In addition, we’ve now sent copies of all of their writings and edited photographs to the participants for whom I have finished all my editing and have received full written permission from that group to publish and post.