I took this close up while her mother hovered behind me with a plate of empanadas. I was struck by the shyness of the girl compared to the bravado shown by Uptown boys who constantly put on brave faces for the camera. One of my theories about what makes a good portrait goes something like this. I believe that everyone has something inside that represents who they want to be and how they want the world to see them. I believe that if a photographer can capture that essence, he has taken a good portrait.
I met this girl, now a fully grown woman, almost 40 years after taking this picture. She turned out to be as thoughtful as an adult as she appeared as a child. However, one thing did surprise me. She barely spoke when I photographed her; now she’s tri-lingual!