Hera’s Watchman/Sweet Somnia
I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by my old work friend Malini. I had done a photoshoot with her daughter Rani and her best friend last year. After whinging that I was frustrated by the lack of opportunity to shoot, Malini had said that if I was looking for a model, Rani was super keen. I told her that as soon as I lock in my next treatment date (waiting for approval from Dr Giovanna to move my treatment day to a Tuesday so I’d feel ok by the weekends and for my liver to settle). I instantly began planning the next image with a trip to Spotlight forty minutes drive away in nearby town Taree.
I’ve been working on the embroidery for my swan image, but have decided to shelve that one for now. I have decided to create an image based around a Greek Mythology story I had read recently. The story was about Hera, the wife of Zeus and Queen of the Olympian gods. Hera was incensed by Zeus’ infidelities and sent her trusted servant watchman Argus, a monster with a hundred eyes, to watch over one of Zeus’ mistresses Lo. Zeus discovered Hera’s plan and slayed Argus. Hera, devastated by the loss of her faithful henchman, had his hundred eyes made into the feathers of a peacock to watch over her for eternity.
During my trip to Spotlight, I splurged and bought myself a brand new sewing machine. I’ve never owned a new sewing machine before. I have always had old reliable machines donated to me by my grandmother and my mother. The last one I owned was bought on Gumtree about six years ago, refurbished and sold by a lovely old man who invited me in when I picked it up for a lesson on threading it, while his wife made me a cup of tea. It had done me very well, and had only just begun to fail in a variety of ways.
I purchased metres and metres of beautiful teal satin, came home and dug out my dressmaker’s dummy and sewing paraphernalia. Still foggy from my last chemo round, I began draping, pinning, cutting and sewing and over the next few days, a beautiful blue peacock themed gown began to take shape.
I ordered a long dark hairpiece and a crimper on Amazon and found someone selling small peacock feathers.
For the backdrop, in order to contrast with vivid blues, greens and dark hair, I decided I wanted to builded a forest of completely dead gum leaves. Over the next couple of weeks, Mum and I drove around looking for downed branches after windy nights. I’d haul them into the boot of the car and pile them in the front garden when I arrived home.
It’s now Thursday morning and the shoot is Saturday. Malini and Rani will be here Saturday morning so we can begin hair and makeup. I had my 5th round of chemo on Tuesday and spent yesterday in bed feeling pretty rough. On Sunday, Mum and I drove deep into the bush on a windy dirt road looking for leaves for my backdrop. We did a quick trip to Bunnings where I bought some plastic trellis to attach to the backdrop fabric to weave the leaves and branches through, came home and hauled it all down to the area next to the pool where the nest had been built, waiting for my Home shoot. We dragged the nest out of the way and began assembling the gumleaf backdrop. It was heavy work and my stamina is very low after so many months of chemo, but we sat back at the end, so happy with the result.
Before Saturday, I have to sew a model peacock out of some blue poplin that I bought. This will allow Rani to actually hold something the right shape in her hands, making it much easier for me to composite the peacock picture I had taken months ago at a Newcastle animal park into the final image. I also need to gather a few more leaves to fill in some gaps and go through my artificial flower collection to find some blooms that will work for the image. I’m so excited and also frustrated that I’m feeling so rubbish from my chemo. I need to push through and get it done. I have a massage booked in for this morning and will hopefully feel ok afterwards to get these last things done before the shoot.
Aug 7
How quickly everything can change in these crazy times.
Yesterday morning went to plan, I headed into town, picked up a medical certificate from the hospital, went to my massage, relaxed…
Mid way through, my watch buzzed with a message - ‘LOCKDOWN!!!!’ it was Marcie. Over the last couple of days, the news had been reporting that strong indications of Covid had been detected in the wastewater treatment facilities around Newcastle. This morning two schools in the region had been closed after infected children had attended. It was only a matter of time before the virus crept from Sydney and appeared in the Central Coast and then Newcastle, less than two hours north. A snap seven day lockdown had been announced for the whole Hunter region encompassing Newcastle, starting at 5pm.
Marcie and I had discussed this over the last few weeks. If a snap lockdown was announced, I would jump in the car and drive to Newcastle to get her. She could do lock down up here, in Green Point, in a big house, away from the city, with space and fresh air. My massage finished at midday and I raced home to Green Point, had a quick lunch and dashed down to Newcastle to be out of the region before 5pm. I didn’t get out of the car anywhere. I arrived at Marcie’s at 3pm, she loaded her stuff into the car and we made a run for it. We arrived back in Forster around four, Marcie had a covid test and came home to spend two weeks in lockdown here.
After Marcie’s message, the next message I got was from Malini. Of course, she was in lockdown too - the shoot was off. A small worry in the grand scheme. Keeping everyone safe is of course the most important thing. I was disappointed, but it’s just one of those things.
On the way home, I let Marcie know that she had just picked up the job of my new model… she agreed to stand in - the shoot is back on!
Aug 12
It’s Thursday morning, the sun is shining. The week has flown since we shot last Saturday. The shoot went perfectly although I found it incredibly difficult, fighting fatigue during the shoot. My stamina levels are so, so low that even at the end of my weekly chemo cycle, when I’m feeling good, I get really tired really easily. By the end of the shoot, I could barely move. I’ve been editing for hours and hours on end now. It’s so magical to have images to work on. The image is beginning to come together but I am now waiting on a delivery of large peacock feathers to make the tail. I ordered them weeks ago, but there are delays in shipping due to Covid.
Aug 20
Finally, the feathers have arrived. I shot them against the backdrop and have now been able to add them into the shot. It immediately bought the image to life.
I also had the spontaneous idea to shoot Marcie lying in the feathers and leaves so I set up again and snapped a few more shots. Both the images have come together beautifully.
The most tolerant daughter…
