"this was the hardest photo shoot i've ever had to do.
this was mary's snow elf costume, and it was supposed to be shot in the same session as my candy elf costume. we had
made an appointment for november, but mary's dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour and needed surgery. for several
weeks, she went back and forth to her parents' homes in washington state. she was looking forward to her father being
released from hospital and her first weekend at home, when she died in her sleep of complications from her diabetes. i
asked her family for this costume back and - although i couldn't get one to fit me when they were first made - it zipped
up like it had been made for me. i spent a couple of hours marathoning the barenaked ladies' 'elf's lament' in
order to psyche myself up for this shoot. every shot turned out to be a keeper."
