"Disaster"

This portrait was selected for publication in Photographer's FORUM Magazine's book Best of Photography 2012. Over 12,000 photographs from the United States and Canada, as well as 60 other countries worldwide, were considered for publication and only 13% were given the honor.

​

The image depicts a friend of mine who had recently defeated her battle with Leukemia, emerging from disaster - an airstream trailer in which I once lived that was demolished by a fallen tree while I was sleeping inside and also undergoing treatment for Lyme Disease (so I was very, very ill at the time). It is an image which represents strength and furiously moving forward without self pity, but there is still some pain behind the eyes.  

​

The model (my friend) is Brooke Gillen of Asheville, NC. Her hair was very thin at the time and she graciously allowed me to tease it and pin it forward to give it the appearance of fullness. She is a warrior!