Portrait Salon 2015

Marie-Françoise

© Julian Ward

Marie-Françoise is the wife of my late fathers best friend, a French man named Julien Le Meur. I'm named after Julien and have kept in touch with them both for the last 14 years. Living now in Moyrazes near Rodez in France, my wife and I visited them for a night on our return from a camping trip this year. Marie-Françoise has unfortunately had problems with her health for a few years due to a car accident and her career as an Opera Singer has been put on hold. I'd never heard her sing before until over breakfast she broke out into song mesmerising both of us as Julien carried on as normal. Shortly after we had to leave our friends and were about to say goodbye when I asked to take their picture. Marie-Françoise pulled up a chair in the front room and sat towards the light from the window which lit her up isolating her from the room detail behind. I didn't ask Marie-Françoise to compose herself the way she did or ask her to look to the window. Her dream, she told us during our visit is to sing again on stage. I like to think this is what she is thinking about as I shot my 3 frames before we left.

Selected for Portrait Salon 2015 - The print exhibition will open at 6.30pm on 19th November 2015 at The Embassy Tea Gallery in London and will be accompanied by a new publication that will look back at the past 4 years of Portrait Salon.