Yvanna Rodriguez -The Liberated Collection-

This shoot wasn't easy for Yvanna and her mother. They arrived 30 minutes late -- downtown Phoenix can be quite disorienting, I know this more than many -- and after the shoot concluded their car battery died. But within these two stressful events was the heart of the story.

Yvanna is polite, well mannered, and seems uncharacteristically ladylike for her age. She seemed to carry herself with a sort of grace that was reserved for a more reverent time period. This personality trait provided stunning images of self-reflection and fascinating portraits of poignant emotion. She certainly let loose when she unleashed her love for dancing on me. As John Mayer serenaded the space between her and I, Yvanna showed me why Abba named a song after her. There's a striking femininity in her performance, and I get the feeling she's a natural at captivating an audience. She shared with me her decision to enter the Miss Teen Arizona Pageant, an event that would be lucky to have her. When she's not dazzling judges and crowds, she's a pretty normal teenager. She's a hiker, she's a devout christian, she's employed by a clothing company that sells a cologne that is almost always abused by boys her age, and she never tires of shopping. Everybody... This is Yvanna Rodriguez, and she's been liberated.