This is my favourite image. It provided the catalyst for my initial photography passion and a memorable year studying the subject full-time on the renowned Foundation Photography Course at Filton College, Bristol. The image also subsequently featured in The Independent Photography Competition.
Then, after almost a decade of barely clicking a shutter in anger, in the summer of 2008 my dormant passion was reignited: after being nudged by a good friend, I entered two images [among 1000s] into the Tate’s Street Or Studio competition, and it won through again. So, for a few weeks during that intoxicating summer, you could see this image on show in Tate Modern. And, if that wasn’t surreal enough, in late autumn it was projected to a size of about 15feet by 12feet for the official Street or Studio: A Photobook launch in Tate Britain’s Duveen Gallery… with the Turner Prize candidates through one adjacent archway, and a Francis Bacon retrospective the other… too surreal! 🙂
I also recently put an original hand print of this into an auction to help the people of Japan, following the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and was delighted to raise £150.00.
So, one way or another, this image has meant a great deal to me. And, almost sadly now… I never knew her.
This was how the image was displayed in Tate Modern throughout the summer of 2008.
This was how it was somewhat dramatically displayed in Tate Britain on the day/evening of the book launch in the autumn of 2008. Sue, uh, enthusiastically claiming knowledge of photographer. : D
Nige' Ollis 