“These portraits were all separate commissions from art director Dian Holton, who curates a series of quotes from influential women, accompanied by illustrated portraits, for AARP’s The Girlfriend and Sisters from AARP. They appear on the website and in the newsletter, so they need to be easily readable, iconic and, of course, recognizable for who they are. I studied dozens of portraits and videos for each commission to make sure that I didn’t copy any photo directly, and to try to capture the essence of each person beyond what photography is capable of. I also enjoy fashion as a means of creative expression, so I made up the clothes based on each woman’s unique style. The pose of these portraits meets your gaze in a way that is confident. My intention was to emphasize the subjects’ power rather than having them demurely looking down or smiling to please us.”