I have studied over 200 children from childhood into their 20’s. I began with some when their mothers were pregnant, as was the case with Caira; others started about the time they could read and write. For all of them I made annual studio portraits and asked them to write answers to a series of questions, a kind of diary about their lives, their feelings, their hopes, their regrets.
My exploration, a major 30 year odyssey, has been an adventure that has yielded riches beyond my imagining.
I am interested in everything about human development. I am fascinated by maturation, growth, emotional, educational and physical development.
Permission was signed by the parents of each and every child every year, and by the participants themselves once they turned 18. In addition, we have now sent copies of all of their writings and edited photographs to the participants for whom I have finished all my editing and have received full permission from that group to publish and post.
I am certain that every reader will make unique discoveries and original observations that growing up creates. I’d love to hear what you “see.”
Recently, I spent time with Steven Spierer, on his radio show, “Talk One” and discussed my Growing Up project at length. You can listen to the full interview here.
Howard Schatz
