My wife Anna was worried about turning forty, believing that it marked the transition from youth to old age. To help her through this challenging time, I decided to create a series of portraits documenting the changes she underwent during this crucial year. I took the photographs in our backyard, using the changing seasons and the natural cycle of growth and decay as a backdrop. I captured Anna in her everyday life, whether she was dressed up or in work clothes, holding tools or flowers. I included some props to symbolize her various activities throughout the year, but not too many to avoid distracting from the main theme: the passage of time. To achieve a classic look, I used a Linhof medium-format camera with an older, softer lens and natural daylight. The series was taken between December 2012 and December 2013, and I selected forty photographs for the final collection.