Photographer Spends Six Years Capturing 400 American Girls and Their Most Meaningful Objects

A photographer spent six years meeting more than 400 girls across the United States, inviting each to bring an object of personal significance, and capturing their portraits on film.

Belgian photographer and filmmaker Eva Verbeeck’s striking portraits of girls aged between eight and 18 across 28 U.S. states, form a new book called America’s Girls, On the Edge of a Dream (published by GOST books) Shot entirely on analog film as part of a major long term project, Verbeeck’s work offers an intimate look into the lives of young American girls navigating the complex landscape of identity, agency, and self-discovery.

Verbeeck invited each girl to bring an object of personal significance to the shoot, if they wished. Some girls chose to be photographed without any object at all, while many brought something meaningful to them, ranging from personal belongings and sports equipment to musical instruments, pets, or other items that reflected their identity and interests.

The resulting portraits explore contemporary girlhood in America, examining identity, femininity, power, and the influence of media and cultural mythology.

The Idea of the ‘American Girl’

Growing up in the small Belgian farming town of Tessenderlo during the 1990s, Verbeeck was fascinated by the idea of the “American teenager.” To her, it represented a world of endless possibilities, far removed from the quiet surroundings of church squares and local country fairs that defined her hometown.

Decades later, Verbeeck moved to the U.S. and while living there she traveled across the country for six years to meet and photograph the American girls who inspired her childhood daydreams, using her lens to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.

“Growing up in a small town in rural Belgium, my understanding of America and girlhood was shaped almost entirely through magazines, films, music videos, and pop culture imagery,” Verbeeck says. “The idea of the ‘American girl’ existed in my imagination long before I ever came to the United States, built from fragments of images, fantasies, and stories that felt impossibly far away from where I grew up.”

This led Verbeeck to embark on a six-year photo project exploring the realities of American girlhood.

“Over six years, I photographed more than 400 girls across 28 states using large format film cameras. The slowness of the process created space for conversation, vulnerability, and trust. The project ultimately became a way of exploring girlhood, identity, and contemporary American life through the perspectives and experiences of the young women I met along the way.”

Verbeeck met the girls in a variety of ways, from open calls and community events to connections with local organizers, schools, and youth groups. Lectures and conversations during her travels and time living across the U.S. also introduced her to new participants, with the project taking shape through the personal encounters and connections she made along the way.

Verbeeck photographed girls across Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Verbeeck’s fascinating portraits offer a glimpse into how a new generation of American girls see themselves and the world around them, giving them space to express their interests, identities, and perspectives. Through her intimate, carefully composed images, Verbeeck explores the complexities of growing up and the cultural influences that shape how young women understand and present themselves.

America’s Girls, On the Edge of a Dream (published by GOST books) can be purchased here.