Rachel Hulin’s inspiration for this series came largely from her 6-month-old son, Henry. Like many babies, Henry loved being held in the air and sailed about the room. Hulin photographed him on a few occasions and soon took note of how it seemed her son was caught up in his own experience—floating apart. In American Photo Magazine, Hulin commented: “It was an allegory for how he seemed so in his own world. I was always trying to figure out what was going on in his mind.”
Hulin then began staging more formal photo shoots with Henry. Often she would anchor the camera to a tripod and shoot pictures on a timer while she held the infant overhead. Other times her husband would stand in to elevate their son. The sessions were typically just five frames in duration before Henry lost interest. Then, back at the computer, Hulin digitally eliminated the adults in the images making it appear as though Henry were in magical flight. After surprisingly enthusiastic responses from friends and colleagues with whom she shared the early results, Hulin was encouraged to pitch a children’s book.