In isolation: The solace of a sunrise in uncertain times

In response to my own unexpected isolation, I began waking before first light to silently walk barefoot to the ocean and capture the dawn of each day. This was an attempt to re-member my connection to nature and also connect with my community and loved ones by sharing a single image of the sunrise each day. While I had randomly photographed the sunrise on the days I could drag myself from bed early enough, C19 transformed this adhoc practice into a ritual, which one particularly vulnerable friend called my 'civic duty' to those who could not leave the house. Those closest to me received a daily text message with a single image of a sunrise, no words, explanations, or commentary just my view of the world at 6am from the south coast of Australia ... The dawn image often prompted conversation which would not have happened otherwise. I became aware of those who were feeling lonely, disconnected or just needed a chat, those who had sleepless nights with teething toddlers or were overwhelmed with the anxiety of having to adapt to an uncertain future. Other times the sunrise prompted an outpouring of joy at the colour, movement and texture of the dawn. What I have most enjoyed about this experience has been the sharing of the sunrise from others in isolation, and photos of gardens, babies, cats, breakfasts and dinners, and the everyday images of life that pinged into my phone in response to an early morning text. As a community experiencing extraordinary changes to everyday life, we have devised in all our brilliance and humour a myriad of ways to connect with each other ... and sometimes all we need is a simple prompt to start a conversation - a sunrise in isolation. All proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre