Ignite will miss her!

I arrived in Sandbaai, Hermanus as the country went into the first day of hard lockdown. Not knowing a single person and not being allowed to leave home made for a very rocky start to our new venture. So when the lockdown was finally lifted and we were allowed some freedom of movement, I decided to join the Hermanus photographic club. This I thought would allow me the opportunity to meet and hopefully make new friends in the area.

I clearly remember attending the first meeting at HPS wearing my mask and carefully adhering to the seating arrangements with each of us sitting 2m’s apart. On my arrival, I was welcomed by a very warm and friendly Elizma Fourie, my very first new friend in Hermanus and a superb photographer that shared a passion for macro photography with me. Despite Elizma being the president of the club, her welcome was unconditional, warm and sincere. The fact that I shared a passion for taking photographs was enough for her to welcome me warmly and introduce the club with pride. I remember being impressed with her leadership ability and how the members of the club respected her. I also fondly recall her “fighting” with the English language with the odd expletive of frustration but never giving up!    

Whilst we never became “house friends” our relationship grew to the point where we became accountability partners at the Ignite photography club and shared a few vulnerable moments in terms of our photographic journey. We leaned on each other for inspiration and courage. I was hopeful that this relationship would develop into a long-term friendship where I could learn from this talented and passionate photographer.

I think what strikes me most is the speed and destruction of this horrible disease that in a matter of weeks took her life. Although our journey was brief we at Ignite will miss her talent, passion, sense of humour, warmth and willingness to share with us. It has been an honour to be associated with you RIP.

Gary   

My heart ached at the passing of Elizma even though I had never met her. I even had the unreasonable thought that putting a little post acknowledging her passing would be insincere. But the loss of Elizma feels very real and it got me thinking about how even though we are an online group and only a handful know each other personally, we are still a family, united by our creativity.

This creativity and commonness that weaves and binds us together forming meaningful connections is unique and special and needs to be treasured and nurtured.

It leads me to the next thought, we rarely even see each other online as some of us do not let the video play and there is merely a photo or a name in its place. In the new year lets make every effort to connect personally wherever we can even if it is via a video call.

There is an emptiness and sadness that is hard to reconcile with the loss of someone you have not met.

Roanne