Portrait: Meet my new friend, Greer.

Storytelling portrait of a transgender woman reclining, tear running down her face.

Portraits transform us. Sometimes photographing portraits transforms us, too.

I lost a good friend once - a nearly lifelong friend. A friend who’d stood by me when she went by “he,” and stood by me when she came out as '“she.” I’m still looking for her, so I can apologize.

I can’t understand what it feels like to be a transgender woman. Obviously. I was trying, but I didn’t try hard enough, then. I’m working hard to do better, now.

When I reached out for new studio portfolio clients - or just new friends - Greer answered my call. We started messaging, and we got along so well. So we met for tea, and we got along so well, still!

In just a couple short months, Greer has been sounding board, confidante and cheerleader. And she actually wants to know and be known. How rare that has been in my life of late.

I can’t understand what it feels like to be a trans woman. But I can understand tearing up the instant I hear a song that moves me. And I felt honored that Greer trusted me enough to let me shoot the moment when Joanna Sterling’s “Girl By Choice” started playing - and trusts me enough to let me post it.

That kinda tells you all you need to know about our new friendship, I think.