Missy Franklin is a world-class swimmer. She is expected to not only make the Olympic team this summer, but to compete remarkably well in London. With the pressures associated with those expectations, almost anyone would be hard-pressed to think of much else.

But Missy is also a 16-year-old. She has high school classes, tests and papers. And though she could have taken a step back from her high school swim team some time ago to  focus solely on her Olympic training, she made the decision to stick with the tight-knit group of girls who are in many ways more sisters than friends.

I had the remarkable opportunity to spend some time with Missy and her swim team last week and photograph their camaraderie for a New York Times story. A good friend, Justin Edmonds, was hired to shoot one part of the story – a championship swim meet – but the Times also wanted a photographer to capture the girls just being teenagers at their traditional pre-meet, body-shaving and pasta-eating party. They felt it would be best to have a female shooter for this “girls only” party, and Justin recommended they reach out to me.

And the next thing you know, I was standing in the dining room of one of Missy’s teammates, camera to eye, watching this humble, kind girl laugh and joke with her friends.

Missy and her mom, D.A. (pictured above), showed to me a great deal of warmth and kindness during my brief time with them. They couldn’t have been more welcoming and open. I am so humbled by people who allow you into their lives and give you the chance to tell a piece of their story.

It’s an extraordinary thing, and something I am ever-so grateful to get the chance to do.

Definitely give Karen Crouse’s story a read – “Before the Olympic trials, there’s this big high school meet” – and check out some of Justin’s work on his blog  and in this slideshow that accompanied the Times article. Thanks, everyone!