The Ascent of American Girls
Intimate, candid portraits that capture the intimacy, private moments, and self-sufficiency of girlhood, from the riveting book “Girl Ascending.”
Interview by Rosecrans Baldwin
TMN: When you’re photographing teenage girls, what do you identify with most?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Their sense of fun and intimacy together.
TMN: What do you identify with least?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Leaving the house with intentionally visible bra and bra straps. Continue reading ↓
Melissa Ann Pinney’s latest book, Girl Ascending, is a glowing tribute to girlhood’s private spaces. Images used with permission. All images © copyright the artist, all rights reserved.
Interview continued
TMN: Have you watched Girls on HBO? Your opinion of it in six words or less?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Terrific and not for the faint-hearted.
TMN: How do projects begin for you?
Melissa Ann Pinney: With an insistent idea I’m compelled to follow.
TMN: When do they end?
Melissa Ann Pinney: With a book, a show, a deadline.
TMN: What’s your favorite camera at the moment?
Melissa Ann Pinney: It’s between my Mamiya 7II and my iPhone camera.
TMN: Does your daughter ever turn the camera on you?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Yes, we’re now making a double self-portrait every day of her senior year.
TMN: When do women outgrow girlhood?
Melissa Ann Pinney: I hope we never outgrow the playfulness and self-sufficiency of girlhood.
TMN: Which is your favorite airport?
Melissa Ann Pinney: The little airport on Maui. You can smell the ocean.
TMN: Coffee or tea?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Tea.
TMN: Newspapers or radio?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Radio.
TMN: When was the last time you cringed?
Melissa Ann Pinney: The wedding-gown scene in Bridesmaids.
TMN: When are children at their most noble?
Melissa Ann Pinney: When they’re with animals.
TMN: Do you nap?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Yes—it’s a necessary result of being a night-owl.
TMN: What makes for better art, working with family or working with strangers?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Strangers are always more cooperative than family.
TMN: What’s your least favorite aspect of parenting?
Melissa Ann Pinney: Eventually they become teenagers.
TMN: Where will you eat dinner tonight and with whom?
Melissa Ann Pinney: After Emma’s volleyball game, I’ll eat at home with my family.