Joplin Jessa

I met Joplin in Lawrence with her grandmother, Evelyn, and we drove out to one of my most favorite spots in the world.

Just down the road from my house there are old red and white barns with so much mystery to them. 

My experience is different every time I go to this place. A couple times there's been a pair of vultures watching over me as I wander through the tall, bronze grass. But this time, as I shared the location with Joplin and Evelyn, I saw the structures in a completely new way. As if my mind had been renovated -a refreshed perspective. 

As I took photos, Evelyn picked yellow flowers; walking toward me with a bundle in her hands. She took the time to wrap each stalk around brittle, brown vines that had grown up and around the silo. It was a frame for Joplin, the bright yellow lighting up flecks of copper in her eyes. 

It's one photo shoot that will stay with me for years...