Although the first photo was taken in 1974, the official series didn't begin until 1975, when the sisters were between the ages of 15 and 25. The one constant in the "annual rite of passage" (as Nixon has called it) is the sisters' arrangement, from left to right: Heather, Mimi, Bebe and Laurie.
One of Nixon's most well-known works, the Museum of Modern Art in New York published the series as a book on its 25th anniversary. Nixon explained the story behind the photos for the museum: