( CNN ) The night before her daughter 's first triathlon , Kate Parker could tell the child was nervous . Ella and her younger sister , Alice , are athletic , loud , curious , wild-haired kids . They grew up watching their mother compete in races and Ella had asked to sign up for her own . Still , as they laid out everything she 'd need the next day , Parker , a photographer , could tell she was afraid . `` Why do n't we get a picture ? '' Parker asked Ella , now 9 . `` Show me your strongest face , show me your bravest face , even if you do n't feel that way right now . '' As she pulled the image up on her screen , she got chills from her daughter 's direct stare . She looked , Parker said , like `` a little badass . '' `` You 're going to be totally fine , '' Parker showed her . `` Look at how tough you are . '' The next day , Ella participated in her race , and loved it . Looking back , `` I wanted her to remember that she was scared and she went through with it , sort of as a memento of her conquering a fear , `` said Parker , who lives near Atlanta . `` As a mom , I really wanted to get a good picture of it , too . '' The photo is one of Parker 's favorites from her series , `` Strong is the New Pretty . '' It covers the last two years , but evolved from Parker 's early days behind a camera , when she shot daily images of her girls to expand her knowledge of lighting and composition . It seemed that most images of little girls showcased perfectly placed hair bows , forced smiles and Photoshop-smooth skin . Hers did n't . `` I did n't want to shoot pictures like that . I did n't want girls to think they had to look like that , '' said Parker , whose daughters are now 6 and 9 . `` Whoever they were , however they were , was worthy of an image . Whatever they were was good enough . '' So , she shot her girls and their friends as they were -- freckled , muddy , screaming , laughing , jumping in the pool , collecting worms in the creek , barreling into the wilderness of early adolescence on skateboards and bicycles . `` I want to capture them before they lose that sense of ' I 'm so awesome . ' I wanted them to keep that as long as they could , '' Parker said . `` I started to shoot with that in mind , but it was already there . '' The girls pose for an occasional portrait , but most are kid-inspired moments , shaped by childish wonderment and energy . As parents , Parker and her husband encourage their girls to play outside , make new friends and try new things without worrying about grass-stained knees and knots in their hair , Parker said . Now , the girls have the confidence and curiosity to do it on their own . `` They 're just being themselves , and I 'm just recording it , '' Parker said . Responses to the images are mostly positive , Parker said , but there 's the occasional complaint that she 's showing just one type of girl . It 's true , Parker said : They 're the ones she 's raising , the only ones whose adventures she can document 24/7 . She hopes the project inspires parents to find their own creative ways to capture their children 's lives . More important , she wants kids to see they can be strong in whatever they are and whatever they hope to be . Parker 's own kids still surprise her . `` Alice is a beautiful singer . When I hear her sing , it makes me cry , '' Parker said . `` Ella has this amazing , kind heart that cares more about the experience than the win . It 's something that I did not teach her . `` Whatever it is , it 's OK . ''
Kate Parker is the photographer and mother behind `` Strong is the New Pretty '' The photo series shows her messy , wild daughters as they are , Parker said .