The women and girls in Sleeping Beauty lie outdoors on the ground in a vulnerable position, yet they are alert and aware. In this work, I investigate early hopes and expectations, the belief that we can do anything, which leaves us at odds as we mature and internalize resistance from society. The portraits highlight the capacity for strength and knowledge that lies below the surface, unseen and unsettled, contradicting the viewers’ tendency to see the individuals as helpless damsels.