Before

This is a balloon which has just started to grow from its empty size.

Stage 2

The growth of the balloon is misshapen at first, perhaps reflective of the artist's view that all of us start out a bit misshapen on the inside and require a maturation period to mold us into functioning members of society.

Inflation begins in earnest.

The flare of the flash on the front of the balloon represents the inner light which fuels all of us in our own quest to grow as people.

Nearly complete.

Photographer Peter Harmon evidently elected to portray his inflation efforts in profile so as to call attention to the disparity between the natural growth of his sideburns, which he has neglected to shave for several days, and the growth he himself has compelled the balloon to exhibit.

Full size

The look in Harmon's eyes as he demonstrates the final completion of this task shows that he has resigned himself to the fact that this balloon, like his own third-person captions, is full of hot air.