Cindy Kavanagh

The portrait, the priestess, is of a friend, Floria, and it's part of a project I've been working on for two years, which is 50 at 50. Photographing 50 women at 50, at this really transitional time in a woman's life. So I'm halfway through, and it's been really exciting to have this portrait acknowledged, because it's the first one of the series going out into the world. It's a very collaborative process with my sitter. For all of the 50/50 portraits, we have lots of cups of tea and meetings, and I listen to the woman's story, and together we find a direction to create an image that is reflective of their life story, like an album cover for this chapter in their life, reflecting on what's been. It's kind of a summing up, a reflection and what's coming next. There are lots of contact points – we build a mood board together, and I'm working with a stylist, makeup artist, hairdresser. It's a real team effort, and I get to work with my husband, who's a hairdresser, so that's been really lovely. He's done the hair for all of the portraits.