Under a blaze of fire at a fire ground last year Blaxland Rural Fire Brigade volunteer and photographer Kellie Mar witnessed a powerful steely-eyed look in her deputy captain’s face. It was the face of resilience.
“To me resilience is a quieter thing, it’s a stoicism that in the face of adversity you get that set jaw, that look in the eyes, that strength.”
Mar decided to recreate that look in a studio with some photoshop trickery for smoke and entered it into the 2018 Resilient Australia Photography Award for NSW. It won.
The picture, titled Portrait of a Lady, depicts 20-year veteran of Blaxland RFS Emily Rawbone “a force to be reckoned with on and off the fire ground”, says Mar.
It’s now in contention for the national titles in Brisbane on November 7. Mar is proud of the award and prouder still of the 31 women in their 115 member brigade.
Rawbone said it’s “no biggie” and she modestly counts herself as just another part of the RFS protecting the Mountains community.