Every wall in Anne’s home has a large canvas on it featuring a photo she’s taken.
They decorate her house, but for this 74-year-old amateur photographer, they’re so much more than a photo. Anne’s images capture her curiosity and attention to the everyday, and she’s using her hobby to provide inspiration and joy for others.
Having finished radiotherapy just six weeks ago, Anne’s no stranger to her health getting in the way of her ability to get out and about. Rheumatoid arthritis has left her with painful joints and she’s had seven surgeries in the last five years. On top of that, she’s battled breast cancer twice in the past three years.
“I’ve had lots of reconstructions. They’ve all torn off the bone again. I’ve had three joint replacements, but they’re good. And then I had breast cancer three years ago, and I got it again this year,” she says.
“I’ve had a lot of time in hospital – five months in one go in 2023 – and I just figured you can become the victim, or you can turn it around and look at things with new eyes.”
So she applies that fresh perspective and her positive attitude to her lifelong interest in photography.
“You know, if you don’t have interests, and you’re someone who’s in need of care, then life’s pretty dull. You’ve got to keep your brain and your hands and feet busy,” she says.
“I just have a thing for looking for what’s in front of me. What is it that sparks something that says that’s worth looking at again? It might be a bud on a plant, or it might be an opportunity to sit and watch the sun rise. It’s the everyday, the small things, that I’m interested in.”
This self-taught shutterbug has swapped her camera for her Google phone and loves how easy it is to get out snapping – even with her walker, which she admits doesn’t quite fit her image.
“It gets you out into fresh air. That’s a big thing. You don’t have to go far. You can be in a wheelchair. It’s right there in front of you.”
With her phone full of photos, Anne had them printed, filling a box with her favourite shots.
“I thought, I’ve got so many on my phone – that’s ridiculous!”
Wondering what to do with them, she began posting her pictures and reflections on Facebook.
“A lot of people commented, saying, ‘You should write a book’, and I’m thinking, ‘I’m never going to write a book’,” she laughs.
So she started making gift cards for her friends and community instead. She even adds little name stickers to each card, and calls them Nature Captured Photography, proudly featuring her name. There’s plenty of demand – she once made 150 cards in two days – and the school where she works a little uses them to thank visiting guests and speakers.
“It’s just joyful, because every photo I take out, I know where it was taken, I can remember the experience.
“It’s great to be able to share them with others. If they bought a card like mine, they would pay about $9 now, so it saves people money.”
After her second cancer diagnosis, Anne started thinking seriously about writing her book but wasn’t sure where to start. Then inspiration struck. She proposed creating a photo book for the school where she continues to work one day a fortnight.
“I approached the Principal and said, ‘I can’t come back to work yet, but what about this?’”
She wanted to capture small, everyday details through her lens – like a student’s hat left on a bench or a sculpture in the garden – and pair them with a reflection.
“She was so affirming and loved the idea,” Anne says. “So I get to write my book – and she gets a book to share with all the staff.”
For Anne, her photographs are more than images; they are connections, reflections and reminders of the richness in everyday life.
In her home, surrounded by those large canvases of her photography, Anne reflects on the memories each image holds — like the woman she photographed at the beach, whose daily swims out to a seawall to watch the sunrise still evokes stillness and courage. Another, her favourite, shows the sunset she shared with a 95-year-old friend while on a holiday, capturing the memory of their beautiful friendship bond in his final days.
From photos large and small, to Facebook reflections, gift cards and her school book project, Anne’s work celebrates the extraordinary in the ordinary and keeps her engaged, resilient and in touch with the people and community around her.
It’s a community that includes Care Connect. Support from us has been equally important. Anne says she’s had five ‘fantastic’ carers since coming to us through a hospital-to-home program in 2022, and she values the trusted relationships they bring.
She speaks warmly of her regular carer, Ava, who helps with cleaning, allowing Anne to maintain her independence and wellbeing.
“I have the most wonderful woman who comes and does the cleaning two hours a fortnight. I love her. I spoke to someone from Care Connect the other day, and I said, ‘Would you please commend Ava for the good work she does’.”
So we did, and Anne was delighted when Ava showed up with a copy of the thank you email at the next visit.
“You know, when you’re surrounded by people who really love you and care for you, I just think that you don’t need more than that. Life is good.”
One of Anne’s Facebook reflections: Today I took the bus to the local Bunnings and wandered amongst the flowers. I was drawn to ‘small things’ – perfection in miniature. That’s enough to keep me going for a while!
Anne’s tips for making photo cards
- Selection – Only print the images you would genuinely put on a card.
- Photo printing – Look for specials online or at local stores like Harvey Norman, Big W or Kmart.
You can do them online, or you can go into the store. - Cardboard – Source affordable card stock or pre-made blank cards.
Snap Dragon in northern New South Wales is good value for cards of all sizes, all types, including scalloped edges and different colours. - Glue – Use strong, clean options like Bostik blue tape.
- Envelopes – Buy in bulk; cellophane sleeves can be purchased at Kmart.
- Labels – Add stickers with your logo or name to the back of your card for a personalised touch.
I got them done because I’m finding it difficult to write - Batch making – Create cards in batches to streamline the process.
I’ve got a good process going now. And it’s just joyful, because every photo I take out, I know where it was taken. Memory is so important. - Share them – Give cards as gifts
It’s great to be able to share with others, to give gifts that are personal.
Got a story to share? Anne reached out after reading Care Connect’s digital newsletter so we could tell her story. We’d love to hear yours. Get in touch on marketing@careconnect.org.au