Now in my 30s , I am starting to look at life differently. I have always been a realist and have known we only have a short time in this human form. My friends will tell you I live my life by YOLO and

FOMO. However, I am now seeing how my body and face change as the years add up. Looking at ways to prolong the inevitable cycle of life and death, afraid of the next chapter. What’s on the other

side - will I still be connected to loved ones or will I be long, lost and forgotten forever.

I drew inspiration from 17th-century painted portraits. I wanted to embody simplicity, elegance and an intriguing touch of the unconventional. I meticulously crafted compositions through a series of

different movements, angles and post-production. I embraced an earthy colour palette and experimented in post with diverse paper parchment and vintage modifications to unify this series.

I photographed portraits of my female friends to capture the essence of life's beauty and vulnerability. Showcasing the strength and resilience of women by displaying a frozen moment in time, these

women represent the embodiment of life's vitality and its constant evolution over time.

I included flowers to serve as poignant symbols of transience and the cycle of life and death. Their delicate blooms wither and fade, reflecting the impermanence of existence. The juxtaposition of

these ephemeral blossoms with the timeless beauty of women in portraits creates a visual dialogue between fragility and strength and between life and death.

Mirrors play a central role in this series, acting as a portal into the past, present and future. They capture the reflections of both the subjects and viewers, illustrating the passage of time. They also

serve to symbolise the interconnectedness of life and death as we confront our own mortality through self-reflection.

By combining these elements, I seek to provoke contemplation on the continuum of life and death. I invite my viewers to witness the passage of time and appreciate the beauty of the present and

acknowledge the inevitability of change. Through the interplay of portraits, flowers and mirrors, I aim to illuminate the intricate tapestry of existence and the profound impact it has on our lives.

‘I am of the earth

and to the earth I shell return once more.

Life and death are old friends

and I am the conversation between them

I am their late night chatter

their laughter and tears

what is there to be afraid of

if i am the gift they give to each other

this place never belonged to me anyway

I have always been theirs’.

~ Rupi Kaur, the sun and her flowers, pg.206