Although this image is simple, it poetically and beautifully symbolises the individual’s beginning of life. It represents the starting of life with the optimism and happiness her parents would of felt having their little girl in the world. It makes me think of the hopefulness and expectations her parents may have had for her and the wishes they had desired. It is an exceptional opening piece, which Abril has chosen intelligently with insightfulness and care. I want to begin my project in a similar way because I think it gives rise to a very powerful message. This image could of been either taken as a photograph or scanned into the computer. It depends what effect the photographer wants to achieve. I have similar images for my own project for example, I have my grandfather’s passport which signifies his existence and makes it official that he was alive. Therefore, I think it is similar to a birth certificate. I also have his will and eulogy which are also significant items in his life, his will was written on a scrap piece of paper in his hand writing and had mistakes crossed out throughout it. I think this example is a perfect reflection of the man he was. He didn’t want to complicate life, he took it as it came and always tried to make the best out of something. The image some how seems to make sense of the chaos of memory. 

‘She was an awesome older sister, she was caring, she understood her role, she was supposed to protect me’ … childhood photo of Tommy Robinson with his sister Cammy in The Epilogue. Photograph: Laia Abril

Memorial collage of photos of Cammy, which is in the living room of the Robinson’s house. Photograph: Laia Abril

Hundreds of letters of condolence for the Robinson family. Photograph: Laia Abril

This particular page includes an extract of a new paper, I like how Abril has decided to have personal readings, letters or clippings in the project. It brings the individual’s experiences to life and helps the audience to understand the type of person she once was. The book is also more interactional and allows the person who views it to be more involved. These pages also include a sort of collage of photographs of the girl’s life, I think it would be interesting it I created a similar one of the archival images from my grandfather’s life. There is also an image of a set of draws with a photograph in a frame on top and lots of letters in the first draw. There is no definite interpretation of what is in this image but it comes across as very personal. It has a very vintage and traditional sense as well. 

This is one of my favourite images from the project ‘The Epilogue’. I think I like it so much because it is unusual but very clever. It shows the individual’s diary before they died. The photograph evokes a sense of recognition and shows the girl was just another person living their daily lives but had hidden struggles. There are letters, diaries, agenda books, medical records and the death certiifcate included in the book. There are also photographs of family members and friends, houses, locations and objects. Abril also spoke to lots of family members and friends in order to understand and grasp Cammy’s life, what they told Abril can be read in the book too. I like this particular aspect because it allows words to translate something a photograph cannot. For the words from someone grieving are far more powerful than an outsiders artistic interpretation. Hearing first hand about the individual can provide priceless and hearty information which the photographer cannot possibly know. 

This particular image shows the individual as a young girl when she was innocent and free of worries and obsessions. It shows her sleeping and being peaceful which I think contradicts the other images in the book because it brings about a sense of happiness and honesty. It is an archival image therefore has history and meaning to it. There is an essence of the past in this image, because the photograph itself has stayed with the family since it was taken. It gives it a sense of importance and uniqueness.