The Who I Am Project: Tween Empowerment
Because 10–12 years old is a tender, complicated, beautiful time to be seen.
I’m Jess McDaniel — photographer, mom of two girls, and creator of this - my Who I Am Project. I made it because I was watching my own kids this age, feeling everything so deeply.
I knew they couldn't see what I saw in them. So I asked the people who love them most to help — to show them the light they carry and don’t yet see.
In these sessions, I photograph your child in their own space and then pair those images with loving words from people who know them best. The result is a powerful reflection of who they are right now, in the middle of everything.
Scroll down to see sample slideshows, learn what’s included, and book your child's session in January 2026.
WATCH WHO I AM PROJECT SAMPLE SLIDESHOWS
"Madigan is a bottle full of sunshine, finding the good and beautiful in everything and everyone."
- Mom
"Layla loves to read. She's very good at writing well-thought-out and philosophical poetry."
- Grandma
"Helena not only succeeds in every goal she sets her mind to, she crushes them. She works harder than any little girl I know."
- Dad
"Bea is articulate and graceful and speaks from her heart. Above all, she is herself, unapologetically, and dazzlingly unique."
- Momere
"Ella is constantly working on her game and practicing long hours to improve. Her results on the field and on the court speak for themselves."
- Dad
"Nevin always works hard at practice and games and she never complains. All the girls on our team absolutely love her and look up to her."
- Coach Scott
"My greatest wish for Anna is for her to know her self-worth and know she is always loved no matter what."
- Mama
"Aoife is ready for the next challenges ahead of her. I have no doubt that she will excel at whatever she does."
- Coach Manny
It's so hard to be 10, 11 or 12.
I'm a mom of two girls and I'm very aware of how deeply they feel, how much they're trying to figure out each day... and as their mom, I desperately wanted to do something to help them get through their tween years. I just wanted both of them to have a sense of how wonderful they are.
This is why I created the Who I Am Project. It's a chance to give teens and tweens a moment to shine, on their own terms. Who I Am Project sessions happen in your child's bedroom, and the real magic is that the project isn't just about pictures.
Yes, I'll take pictures of your child in their room, being themselves... but the really cool part is that you'll help out too. You'll connect me with people who love them - teachers, coaches, troop leaders, aunts, grandfathers... and we'll get them to help us with quotes about her.
And then I'll use these quotes, and I'll put them together with the pictures... and that'll be their Who I Am Project slideshow.
If you'd like to read more about it, there’s a great article written by a mama of one of the tweens I photographed -- you can check out here.
How does the project work?
Here’s a step by step outline for you.
Step 1: You find a time that works for your child's schedule and we put it in the calendar. For this, when you’re ready, you’ll use this link to see the schedule and book a time. I offer this project only in January, so please book your session only on the January dates you see.
Step 2: Then, after we're booked but before I come, you connect me with people in your child's life who can tell me about them. These people will answer questions about your child in my online questionnaires, and those questionnaires will help me learn a little about your child before I arrive for our photoshoot.
Step 3: I come see your child and we spend 30-45 minutes hanging out together in their bedroom, taking pictures and getting to know each other. Then, before I leave, you and I find a time for me to come back and show you all the pictures a few weeks later.
Step 4: Now, this is the cool part. At this point I combine the photos I took with quotes about your child from the questionnaires their friends and family have filled out, and I make a slideshow with photos and quotes all about them.
Step 5: I come back and show you the slideshow and hand your child a packet of all the printed questionnaires, for them to keep. After the reveal of the slideshow, you and your child will pick their album cover colors. I'll be making you one gorgeous 8x8" hardcover album and two 6x9" softcover "thank you booklets" to share with family or friends and I'll ship them to your house, to arrive a few weeks after your slideshow viewing session. (See below, the "Add-ons" section to read more about them and learn about other things I can show you at this meeting.)
Are there any rules?
Some guidelines for the project:
In past seasons, I've done this project only for tweens who identify as female or nonbinary. This year I have no limitations on the gender of the participants, and I'm happy to do this project with a child who identifies as any gender.
Your child must be at least ten years old but not yet thirteen years old when we take the pictures. After a few years doing these, I've found the project works best for children aged 10-12 because of their understanding of themselves when they reach this age, so I've found it helps to set this as our limit.
We do the photoshoot in your child's bedroom only. We don’t go outside, we don’t go anywhere else in the house. This project is all about documenting your child being him/her/themselves in their own space.
PARENT TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS
What can we expect to spend on this?
Who I Am Project sessions
come with one hardcover album
and 2 "thank you" booklets
and the project costs $875
- (1) 8x8” hardcover, layflat albums containing every photo and quote from your viewing session slideshow (see photo in Add-ons below)
- (2) 6x9” thank you booklets containing every photo and quote from your viewing session slideshow to give as gifts to grandparents/relatives (see photo in Add-ons below)
- a digital download of all the high-res JPG files from your slideshow, as well as a digital copy of each of the quote slides with images attached
- a private shareable slideshow link, available on my website for a year, for you to send to friends and family and/or share on social media
You are welcome to buy other Who I Am products from me after the session -- I have lots of other products I can bring to the second meeting to show you. These collections are outlined in the add-ons section below if you're curious.
Most people just stick with the base package that they've already purchased, but some people add one or two additional products to give as gifts.
A LA CARTE
Add-ons
additional 8x8" Album
$250 (one is included)
This 8x8" album is 40 thick, beautiful pages (20 spreads), and it will contain every photo and quote from your child's "Who I Am" Project slideshow.
The pages are printed on the finest matte press paper, which features a soft texture with beautiful matte tones.
The pages are a good hefty weight - they're 80# cover/216 GSM, made from recycled materials.
These albums lay flat when they're open.
The 8x8" size is a wonderful big size that makes a statement. It fits nicely in a bookshelf, but also sits happily on a coffeetable so you and your child can show it off.
You can choose your own cover colors. This album cover is available in linen - a beautiful textile blend or in faux leather.
5x5" Album
$200
This 5x5" album is 40 thick, beautiful pages (20 spreads), and it will contain every photo and quote from your child's "Who I Am" Project slideshow.
The pages are printed on the finest matte press paper, which features a soft texture with beautiful matte tones.
The pages are a good hefty weight - they're 80# cover/216 GSM, made from recycled materials.
These albums lay flat when they're open.
5x5" is a sweet little size. Something your child can keep in their room and look through anytime.
Your child can choose their cover color. This album comes with a faux leather cover, which is a hybrid composite leather.
additional 6x9" Thank You Booklets
$75 (two are included)
I created this product because I knew I wanted copies of my daughters' "Who I Am" Project albums to give to grandparents, aunts, coaches, etc. I wanted to thank them for filling out my girls' questionnaires, but I didn't need a layflat, keepsake album for them.
And so the Thank You Booklet was born.
They're 6"x9" in size, and they're 20 pages total (10 spreads). They'll contain all of the photos and quotes from your child's "Who I Am" Project Slideshow.
These soft cover books are press-printed and covered with stock paper. The pages themselves are folded in half and stapled at the spine.
4x6" Lucite Block Print
$48
Aren't these gorgeous?
Don't they catch the light on the side in such a pretty way?
These are available in the 4x6 size only, and I often have families order three of them: one for each parent and one for the child's own desk (often highlighting a quote from someone other than their parent).
I'd love to help, Do YOU have
More Questions?
Would you like to have a quick phone call?
I'm more than happy to jump on a quick phone call so that I can get to know you better, and I can answer all of your questions. Click the button below to visit my scheduling page, where you'll find the link to book a stress-free 15-minute phone consultation.
About Jess McDaniel
I am so lucky to have spent the last two decades taking pictures of babies, families, and expectant mothers in their homes all around the Boston area. I love what I do every day, and I feel so fortunate to have chronicled fun, crazy, quiet, energetic, and sweet moments for hundreds of fantastic families over the years.
I travel anywhere within an hour of Boston for photoshoots. Outside of photography, I truly love The Container Store, salty food and my husband and daughters. And not necessarily in that order.
FAQs
How do I book a time for a photoshoot on your calendar?
Visit this page here. My photoshoot calendar opens about two months in advance, which means in December my January and February calendars are open, in January my February and March calendars are open, and so forth throughout the year. If you already know a particular time of year when you'd like to take photos, just email me and ask to be put on my "contact first" list for any given month. Then I'll be in touch with you directly when that month of the year is open for booking.
NEWBORNS: I do save a few additional appointments each month for newborns, so if you've just had your baby in the past few weeks or months and the shoot times listed on this page don't work for you, let me know and I'll let you know if there are any other appointments available that aren't listed here.
WAITING LIST: As you can imagine with small children and stuffy noses, etc., I get a ton of cancelations (pretty much at least one every week or two). If you would like to try for an earlier appointment than what you see listed, you can ask to be added to my waiting list. Just send me an email: [email protected]. When I have an opening, I email the entire waiting list at once, and the first reply gets the spot. I schedule sessions usually on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and many Saturdays and Sundays at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Can I buy a gift card for someone else?
Absolutely! Visit my gift card page here to purchase a gift card for anything you'd like. If you don't see what you're looking for, contact me directly and I'm happy to make you a custom gift card.
I saw somewhere you do online courses teaching parents to take photos with their phones? Where do I find out about that?
Oh yes, I teach parents to take better photos with their phones on my @phonephotoswithjess Instagram and TikTok accounts, and I sell online learning programs as part of my Iconic Set by Boston Baby Photos® - you can learn more about the different programs I've created here. If you aren't already getting my newsletters, that's a great place to tiptoe into the world of the things I teach... I'm constantly sending out fun and cool stuff in those. You can sign up here.
When do you do your Public Garden Minishoots?
In order to address demand for photos once babies are walking around and exploring their world, I'm in the Public Garden twice each spring and fall doing minishoots for families with children who are all over a year old. I announce those dates a few months prior, and loads more info with pricing and samples can be found on the Public Garden Minishoots page of my site here.
I have a question that's not answered here, can we do a phone call?
Of course, my phone call calendar is here. If you don't see a time that works for you, pop me a quick email ([email protected]) and I'm sure we can find a time for a call soon.
