Me Time
People's Choice
Amanda Neilson
Me Time (detail) 2023
Portrait of Jemima
Digital photographic print
30 x 50 cm
About the Artwork
The concept for this image was to show the sitter at peace in her alone time. Jemima is a two–time cancer survivor as well living with an intellectual disability and anxiety disorder that can make life pretty challenging. I wanted to show her, in the comfort she finds alone on the beach, the tranquility of being away from her world of hospitals, therapies and schedules and the chaos those things bring. I have used a long exposure to calm the waves and captured her standing still, or maybe still standing after all she has survived, despite the sands of her life that seem to constantly shift beneath her feet. The image is my attempt at conveying her happy place, of light and warmth, space to breathe, and where she doesn’t have any concern for who might be coming or what they may want from her. Her red dress is the perfect anchor in the image, giving an outward visual strength that represents her inner strength or character as well as making her easy to spot for her carers who are always keeping watch.
About the Artist
Amanda Neilson is a portrait photographer living and working in rural North Queensland where she runs her business around the needs of her family. She has a passion for capturing people in their natural spaces to tell the story of who they really are. She is well known for her creative concepts and attention to detail, always willing to go to extra lengths to capture unique and tailor made image memories for her clients. Most close to her heart is the work she does for the more vulnerable members of our society, where her motto is “beautiful people, in a beautiful light”.