The bond between a mother and a child is a thing of beauty. From the moment your wrinkly, soft and crying newborn is placed in your arms, so is the responsibility of the growth and well being of another human being for, well, forever. The magnitude of equal parts love and fear will be with you from that moment on, until your last breath. Being a mother. It is the most rewarding thing. The series, Picture You, Picture Me, is an ongoing project between photographer, Emer Gillespie and her daughter, Laoisha, who was born with Down’s Syndrome. The project, which began in 2008, is a collaboration between Gillespie and Laoisha, with one or the other switching off as photographer and subject. The pair take turns setting up the scene, posing each other, and playing together. 
By ceding a certain amount of authorial control, the resulting work creates an environment in which to explore the themes of collaborative creativity, child autonomy, trust and the relationship between subject and photographer.
Through this five year (and counting) process, mother and daughter have learned to work together and find an understanding of each other in creative and imaginative ways. Many of the photos show them switched places in a similar settings. Gillespie says, “As a participant-observer, these images are my own examination of appearance and existence, perception and thought through the visual exploration of my modern family.”
[REWIND: Mother + Daughter Look-Alikes | Friday Foto Funnies]
This series is not only about a mother and daughter creating lovely photos, but learning about one another, working together and playing together. CREDITS: All photographs by Emer Gillespie are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist. [via @My Modern Met/Lenscratch]
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