Mom Takes Haunting, Inspiring Photos of Daughter's Cosplay

Mom Takes Haunting, Inspiring Photos of Daughter's Cosplay

Childhood is an adventure; a whimsically frightening maze through fields of glowing neon-green fauna and deep, daunting dungeons. Or at least that's how it can seem. Attempt to visualize your youth in the most romantic way your mind can muster. Envision how those racing emotions and that sense of adventure would have looked if painted or photographed. Such is the awe-inspiring catalog of imagination, imagery, and childhood wonder created by 10-year-old Alice Lewis with the help of her mother, photographer Kelly Lewis.

Kelly and her husband James adopted Alice in 2012 when she was 7 years old. As one of their earliest forms of bonding, the new mother-daughter tandem started taking photos inspired by the little girl's imaginative play. Alice, who was named Destiny before she decided to change her first name after the adoption, had been in foster care prior to joining her new family. She was complex and fragile, but she expressed herself openly as the pair planned their shoots.

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

According to Kelly, Alice's mental escape from a troubled past was always driven by her own imagination. This strong creative drive became inspiration for both mother and child when they photographed their first cosplay of Alice dressed as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz."

"Two weeks after she moved in with us we passed a dress while shopping, and Alice commented on how it looked like a Dorothy dress. I suggested that we do a photoshoot, and she was totally up for it," Kelly said. "It was the first time she'd really posed for my camera as a model, and it was amazing."

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

From there, the two have been on an absolute roll. Creating stylized scene after scene is not only a memento of Alice's childhood, but serves as art therapy for a little girl whose life had previously been burdened with so much change. 

"Playing make-believe is how she's coped with all of the negative things she's lived through. It's just a natural part of her being now and cosplaying gives her a creative outlet to express herself and be whoever she wants to be," said Kelly.

The themes of the images range from generally upbeat to downright sinister, or even dark and desperate. Kelly recognizes that not everyone will understand the tone of every photograph. Yet, she's willing to take the scorn that has come as some of the collection's darker photos have been shared online.

"If one child gets adopted because someone read Alice's story, then every hateful letter and death threat is worth it," she said.

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

"There's not a one-size-fits-all type of parenting when you're dealing with a child that has experienced multiple foster homes, homelessness, [and] neglect," she said. "I refuse to make her act like other little girls — she knows too much of the real world and she can't forget what she's seen. It is why she so often chooses to live in a fantasy of her own."

Regardless of how you perceive the content of the photos, it's hard to deny the amazing artistic relationship that this mother and daughter now enjoy. The emotion present in each shoot is palatable, and seeing a child embody such open expressions of joy, fear, anger, heroism, and family is an art in and of itself. Even when the image is scary, there is no doubt that love abounds with the creators.

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Check out more from the "Malice of Alice" collection below, but be sure to see the entire collection at Alice's website.

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Copyright 2015 | Image by Kelly Lewis | www.kellyisnice.com

Adam Sparkes's picture

Adam is the Assistant Director of Photography at Central Michigan University. He has been pushing a button for a living since 2009 and for that entire time constantly finds himself correcting people who pronounce it "fur-tographer".

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9 Comments

Some kids get to pick cool parents.

These are absolutely beautiful.

The last picture... Oh boy. These eyes are magnificent. And freckles with that? I don't think I own a lens that can handle that without melting. Good work.

Love it, these are absolutely stunning!

This is absolutely FANTASTIC! Especially love that Hit Girl shot!

Amazing work and parenting wrapped into an amazing relationship in my opinion!

As a father this makes me smile, A big Thank You! to Kelly and James for making the world a better place for this child (and yourselves I'd imagine). Even better that they have seemingly used creativity to encourage and bond. We need more people like you in this world.

As a photographer, I'm more than impressed, great light, great expression and wonderfully composed. This hits the mark on so many levels.

Art therapy is a powerful thing! Huge props to Kelly for making quality of life, creativity, and fun a central part in Alice's life. They are both incredibly talented.

captivating