This photographer crossed America to capture portraits of girls and young women – her images are stunning
Eva Verbeeck’s monograph ‘America’s Girls, On the Edge of a Dream’ presents a compelling, unvarnished view of what it’s like to grow up as a girl in the modern USA. The post This photographer crossed America to capture portraits of girls and young women – her images are stunning appeared first on Amateur Photographer .
Photographer Eva Verbeeck has spent six years journeying across 28 US states, capturing over 400 girls and young women through her lens in large format cameras. The resulting images comprise her first monograph, 'America's Girls, On the Edge of a Dream', published by GOST Books. Verbeeck, a Belgian photographer, aimed to explore the tension between the idealized image of the 'American girl' prevalent in media and the reality faced by modern girls.
The photography process was simple, taking place in various settings like classrooms, gyms, corridors, streets, and backyards. She discovered her subjects through open calls, community events, and outreach to local schools and youth groups. The girls were asked to bring an object with personal significance, fostering meaningful connections. Notably, none of the girls brought smartphones, revealing a disconnect between their experiences and the technology-driven world.
Verbeeck's approach blended documentary and painterly elements, with stately poses and severe expressions, echoing the tradition of portrait painters. However, her project democratized the practice by focusing on a diverse range of subjects, emphasizing their ambitions and fears. Having now settled in Amsterdam, Verbeeck continues to explore themes of identity, youth, and human connection through long-term collaborations with her subjects.
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