In September of 2024, I was commissioned by the stylist Giorgia Galdi to create a photographic series. Her project aimed to visually capture what it feels like to grow up as a girl on the northern Italian coast—in Rimini—during the summer. Rimini, a small coastal vacation spot, was where she ritualistically spent her summers with her family.

Giorgia wanted to showcase the different stages of her transition into adulthood, emphasizing how these rituals were deeply tied to this place. The intent of the series—and the three days we spent in Rimini—was to narrate her intimate bond with her grandmother, a connection that shaped her growth and transcended time, as well as to explore the stages a girl experiences when transitioning from childhood to adolescence and into womanhood.

Each day, we met the parents of the children featured in the photos and spent time with them. Photographing in these spaces always felt natural and safe, knowing we had the parents’ full consent. Each girl in the photos represents Giorgia at a different stage of her youth—each equally significant—with her grandmother remaining a guiding presence, subtly woven into certain images.

The images became even more intimate because I had the privilege of witnessing Giorgia and her grandmother together before she passed away a few months later, capturing the deep bond they shared. Spending time with the children and observing their instinctive way of moving through life was an experience in itself. I aimed to reflect the essence of childhood—navigating the inner landscapes of the psyche and experiencing the slow progression toward an awareness of womanhood.

This project became more than a series of photographs; it allowed me to build connections that extended beyond the captured moments. Thank you, Giorgia, for trusting me with this story, and thank you to everyone I met during my time there.