Oh Mandy,i know exactly what u feel coz i jus rieeevcd my first award last year(well that sounds like a long time so last week)and within a day this one so i was thrilled too...am very happy to award u a Happy 101 and loved reading the 10facts about u n mus admit that i love doing the same too....And ofcourse i love ur lovely blog....

This is a beautifully storng, very real portrait, Brooks. I hate having my picture taken, but if you could capture the essence of who I am this succinctly, I'd almost be willing to let you try. What a complex set of emotions this raises. A strength and vulnerability, a hardness of experience and a softness of innocence. You know this is a woman who knows without a doubt who she is and what she will and will not take. Even if you recoil from her, you're drawn to protect her, comfort her, learn from what she's seen. Gorgeous. Everything portrait photography should be.