Grace.

A Forester pulled up and parked in a space near me. If you live in Tassie you would know how Tassie that is. There was movement in it, a figure, busy within the reflections of the windows. The stark 2pm summer sun revealed the paint had seen a few years of stark 2pm summer sun. The driver’s door opened to reveal a true smile and heart that beamed right back to that sun.

It was the first moment I met Grace, two weeks ago on the 12th of January 2021. Her being was neither above or below you, it was at eye level, disarming and playful. We spent most of our time together talking, funny stuff and deep stuff and general stuff n that, familiar, like we had been friends forever in some other life. I wondered if she makes everybody feel like that, a gift, her super-power?

I was already set up. The wind threatened to undo my work of pre-bending, pre-modifying and pre-shaping the high, contrasty, Tasmanian sun. The stage was set, set for a superhero. Grace owned everything she did.

There was a quiet communication when we were shooting. There were many words and ideas exchanged, some were wise, they all came with ease within the spaces and for a fair bit of time after the shoot. Grace said goodbye and walked back to her trustworthy station wagon, climbed in and drove away. People walked by, couples and dog walkers, nautical people too. I hadn’t noticed them when she was here. I was alone with thought, sound, the sun, the wind, my lighting equipment flapping in the wind, our conversations and the images of a beautiful meeting in my beautiful camera.