It is easy to look at a photograph and see a moment, but with Elaine, you are looking at a decades-long journey of becoming.

There is a specific kind of quiet strength that belongs to a woman who once almost lost her first job at sixteen for being "too shy." It is the kind of strength that doesn't roar; it simply persists. Elaine spent her career as a corporate recruiter in Boston, but that early memory of the girl who struggled to speak out remains a part of her foundation. It’s why she understands that every woman has a story—even if they’re initially hesitant to tell it.

When Elaine first considered participating in this photography project, she carried that familiar, youthful hesitation. "I was very concerned that I wasn't the right person," she admitted. For a self-described "jeans and t-shirt girl" from Richmond, the idea of being a model felt like a leap into a different world. But Elaine has never been one to shy away from a leap when it matters. And with the encouragement of her husband and friends, she stepped in front of the lens.

Her life has been defined by following her own compass, even when it pointed away from the crowd. She spent years in the corporate world, yet she walked away from a vested retirement package just two months early because her heart told her it was time to be a mother. That is the core of who Elaine is: she values the "joyful" and the "scary" over the expected.

During our session, the transformation was visual, but the impact was internal. There is a certain magic that happens when a woman who values her "time alone with her thoughts" sees herself through a different lens. Watching her trade her daily denim for something sophisticated was like watching a hidden layer of her personality come into the light. "Getting to look so very sophisticated and feeling so feminine was very exciting," she noted, capturing that rare bridge between the person we are every day and the person we are capable of being.

At 77, Elaine is setting the record straight on what it means to be "seasoned." She isn't just a participant in life; she is a leader who pushes her water fitness students to keep up with her. She is respected by the younger people she volunteers with, and they look to her for guidance. Her story is a reminder that we are never just one thing. We are the shy teenager, the determined recruiter, the devoted mother, and the vibrant woman who can still feel the "exciting, scary, joyful" rush of trying something new. Elaine doesn’t just feel seen; through her photographs she ensures she is remembered.

What would you tell your 20 year old self: Be a strong woman and follow your heart. Do the things you want to do and don't follow the crowd. I feel that is what has led me to where I am today.