Portrait of a Lady
Watching Crystal, my significant other and far better half, fight her physical and psychological battle has been one of the most difficult experiences I’ve ever had to go through. Despite how harrowing this has been for her, she has asked me to document her journey in both photo and prose in the hopes that her conclusions might help others who are battling the same ailments.
I drew inspiration and guidance from one of photography’s greatest. Annie Leibovits is best known for her iconic portraits but, for me, some of her most compelling work was more on the photojournalistic spectrum. Her photos of Susan Sontag are both beautiful and brutal. I, for my part, tried to capture Crystal’s experience with same level of honesty. There are times were I am capturing these images through tears, others where I am snapping shots as I check her IV bag or as I am feeding her. For me, these are difficult to look at. It forces me to relive some of the more horrific experiences we’ve shared. Despite that, I am proud of their honesty.
