Lyndi wanted an underwater-theme for her new photo purse. So we came up with the idea of turning her daughter Maddy into a mermaid in the company of a little red-headed human boy! It all began with a few snaps of the camera.

Ben had adorable chipmunk cheeks but he was in his grandfather’s arms so the lower part of his body wasn’t visible. There wasn’t even a suitable photo of his sister Maddy, so Lyndi said she’d shoot their photos for me. Of course, Madeleine and Ben didn’t feel like swimming in November, but Lyndi convinced both to put on their bathing suits and pose on the floor.

By manipulating these original photos and using only the parts of Maddy and Ben I needed, I was able to turn Maddy into a mermaid, combine the two shots of Ben, and put the two of them in front of an eye-catching underwater mural.