These pictures of me were taken by Dorothea Lange in July 1954. I was five years old.

Why would Dorothea Lange have taken my picture? My father was an architect who designed a home for John Dixon and his family. John was the son of Lange and Maynard Dixon. John invited our family to his new home for a party and his mother was there with her camera.

What I find especially charming is how much I look like one of the Dust Bowl children she's famous for photographing.

Our family didn't know these photos existed until Lange died. John's wife was sorting through Lange's files, found them and sent them to my mother, with a note saying they'd been taken by "Doro." My mother gave them to me a couple years ago.

Penciled on the back of the top photo is: 

    #5
    12 secs
    f8
On the back of the bottom one: 8 sec