It blows me away how popular this image is. When I initially did this session in 1997 I took this on a whim, a chance moment between shots. For the first few years I had it, I hated it. I thought it looked too ... I don't know how to put it in words. I didn't think it was my style. the image is completely candid, a lucky shot. I hated that this was better than any of the planned stuff I shot that day and that upset me for some childish reason.

I originally edited it around '99 on a old PC with a horrible monitor. Now, 9 years later, my skills have improved as well as my tools, and I wanted to revisit this image. One that has become my most popular image. It's grown beyond me in some ways. It was with apprehension that I approached retouching it for print sale. But this version is by far better than the one I originally posted years ago.

Thank you so much, everyone who has left me comments and praise. It means the world to me. Thanks for helping make this image so popular.