It was a fascinating day for me and my photography, and for my idea of portraiture. A wonderful, gifted 16-year-old named Lilly commissioned me to take her portrait, her graduation approaches. We spent more than two hours together in the very hot afternoon sun, we went from color to black and white, from the portrait lens to a macro lens to a 35 mm lens.

Lilly was clear about what she wanted, struggle over what she liked, after a half-hour we figured each other out and did a creative ballet together. I got more than 100 photos of her and her family and her playing the guitar and the piano and sitting by a pond and in a yirt whose mural she once helped to paint.

Working with a very bright and talented teenager who had many ideas about how she wanted to look was a learning experience for me, and a good one. We started clicking when she started reciting some lines from Macbeth when she got nervous. It loosened her right up.

I think I got some wonderful photos, and loved working with Lilly. I was also soaked in sweat and worn out, we had things to do at home, but we were so tired (Maria came along to help me lug my equipment and see her friend, who is Lilly’s mother) and we ended up at the Bog, we couldn’t bear the idea of cooking, it was so hot.

I hadn’t seen Kelly for a couple of weeks, I missed her and her smile, perhaps because of the weather the Bog was quiet, I caught Kelly at the bar, she told me her puppies are thriving and both have homes to go to. She is grateful for the help so many of you gave her with her vet bills.

Kelly is much loved in our town, she has more good friends than I will ever have, and the most radiant smile for many miles. I am grateful to know her. I bet the owners of the Bog are also.