Alison Limerick

29th September 2002

Alison Limerick has one of those faces that photographers dream of. Sculptural bone structure, luminous skin, and the kind of gaze that makes a lens sit up straight and behave itself.

She also happens to be a dear friend and godmother to our two boys — which means that, wonderfully, I get to photograph her not just as a subject, but as someone I know and love. Every time she visits, I try to coax her into the studio or a patch of decent light. She’s endlessly gracious about it, and we always end up with something worth keeping.

This image is one of my favourites. There’s a quiet power in it — the tilt of the head, the stillness, the self-possession. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It simply is.

She might be best known for Where Love Lives, but Alison’s true gift, at least in my opinion, lies in her presence — both on stage and off. I’m lucky to call her a friend. And even luckier that she lets me point a camera at her from time to time.