While in Australia, I also photographed a family session with the Martins. I have known them since I was a young, awkward teen. I had not seen the family in the flesh since the older children were teeny tiny kiddos. Their eldest son wasn’t able to join us.

I always come away from a session with a sense of admiration for something about the family or people I’ve worked with. For the Martins, I was in awe of a number of things about them.

For one, they work together. It works because they believe so passionately in the christian school they work for. Annette is principal, Darryl is a key administrator, BJ teaches, Tessa is a student there. (Gabby is busy at Uni and Luke lives interstate, traveling with his band). They share the same love for the school and work tirelessly for it. It was only fitting that we held the shoot at the school grounds.

More striking to me, though, are the women in this family (sorry Darryl and Luke). BJ, Gabby and Tessa are all completely unique, yet they share a strength that is so impressive. They are all smart, centered and have a strong sense of who they are and what they stand for. Annette and Darryl are strong, supportive and have a great sense of humor and humanity – a pretty good recipe for parenting!

I recently read a great post by Elizabeth Gilbert about teenagers today. She responded to an audience question from a teenage girl about what Elizabeth believed was wrong with her young generation. Elizabeth replied: nothing. She believes “we are raising the most sensitive, least violent, least bullying, least racist, least homophobic, most globally-minded, most compassionate, most environmentally-conscious, least dogmatic, and overall kindest group of young people this country has ever known.”

As I edited the pictures of these young women I had such a strong sense that they will go on to effect big change in the world. And it may not even feel like work to them.