This handsome young man came to visit me recently in my photography studio just outside of Raleigh to start the process of creating his charcoal heirloom portrait for the walls of their family home. He is getting to the in-between-age where he's starting to look more grown up and mature, but this age was the perfect time to capture with a special portrait. The early teen years are often under-photographed. They hit this age so quickly, and their little baby faces fade, and it's so hard not to think of them as grown. But the truth is, they're not. It is still such a special and meaningful milestone to document as they close the chapter of early childhood and enter into their teen years. There is no milestone that the charcoal heirloom portrait doesn't excel at showcasing, but this tween and teen age is particularly special for so many reasons.