A photographer has captured the intimate struggles and everyday realities of a year-old prostitute. Alicia Vera , based in Mexico City, met her subject Vera three years ago when she was shooting a photo series on strippers, but formed a deep bond with the young San Francisco-based sex worker and ended up zoning in on her individual story. With her camera, Ms Vera charts Eden's turbulent lifestyle; photographing her as she hustles, sleeps, even during sex with a client, and at one point after she is arrested.
Scroll down for video. Haunting: Photographer Alicia Vera has captured the intimate struggles and everyday realities of Eden, a year-old prostitute. Pictured, Eden posing with her childhood dolls. Eden first moved to San Francisco from an abusive childhood to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming an exotic dancer.
It didn't take long for her to fall into prostitution, with close friend and fellow stripper Baby acting as her pimp. Intimate: Eden first moved to San Francisco from an abusive childhood to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming an exotic dancer, but quickly fell into prostitution. Pictured, Eden in the bath. Reflecting: Ruby, Eden's pimp, frequently sent her to the East Coast to work out of hotel rooms, where she was eventually caught by an undercover task force. Pictured, Eden wearing a wig.
Earnings: Eden counts the cash she has made in the past four days, which she can't deposit in her bank. As she waited for her looming court date, Eden took some time off to reflect on her situation, and accompanied by Ms Vera, she went to Lancaster, Virginia, to visit her mother. There, she came clean about her work as an escort.
Her mother voiced her disapproval but being a mother, Ms Vera points out, she still offered Eden her support. She returned to her job, now independent of Ruby, two hours after her court appearance. Searching: 'This project is ultimately about a woman's struggle to find her herself,' writes Ms Vera. Pictured, Eden gazes out of the window. Prepping: 'I am a woman, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an artist, and a provider of sex in exchange for money,' Eden pictured states.
