Just before Christmas I headed out to Joan Bakewell’s house in North London. Last time I was at her place it was a big mansion only a couple of blocks away from where she is now, in a considerably smaller house with a small garden.
Not only did it seem sensible that in a time of Covid19, we chose to photograph Joan outside, with all precautions in place. But Joan is also hosting the Landscape Artist of the Year program, so it seemed perfect.
We both talked about how Christmas would be different this year, after the confirmation that we were not supposed to travel to family in December. Joan, looked like she was set for a Christmas alone or at the very best with one of her grandsons, that lived nearby.
It is strange that during these times we all seem to appreciate the company we get a lot more. Instead of feeling like I was on a job, to rush to move on, I felt that we were both enjoying a break in the day, a new face, someone physically there to talk to. I’ve always been one who appreciates a small group of friends in my circle, but as this lockdown extends and renews, I find myself not only craving the friends I now so seldom see, but also the influence of strangers I pass everyday, and the people I have the pleasure of knowing, albeit for a very short while day to day in my work. I have never felt so lucky to be a fleeting guest in so many people’s lives, and Joan, that late December morning, was a reminder of the joy of such meetings.
Shot for Observer Magazine
