Over the course of his career, Jock Sturges’ long-term engagement with his subjects has been a cornerstone of his work. Misty Dawn, one of his primary and most popular muses is one such subject; he has photographed her for twenty-five of her twenty-eight years. Lithe, beautiful, classically proportioned, she is the personification of Sturges’ philosophy of being at home in one’s body.

This work follows her growth from a shy, tomboyish child to a gorgeous, confident young woman. Taken as a whole, this series of images presents a unique, fully realized portrait of a blossoming individual and explores a rare and beautiful relationship between photographer and subject.