I met Annie (RIP) before I photographed her big sister’s wedding in 2004. She must have about 22 at the time. I still carry a piece of the lavender tulle ribbon used in that wedding ceremony in my photography case to remind me of the joy of the occasion.

All three sisters were gregarious and charming.  The wedding — being attended by more than two Australians at a time was therefore both a raukous and cheerful affair. My recollection of Annie is that she was the kind of person that was instantly beloved by everyone she met.

So it came like an unwelcome wash of sadness when I noticed that her brother-in-law posted her funeral notice on Facebook in February.  I looked through my old film archives to find this prank shot that I made at Betty’s wedding.  Annie is on the right.  From right to left she is with her sister Betty, fellow bridesmaid Kathy, her sister Cindy, brother-in-law Andrew and groomsmen Manual, Derek and James.

Annie Lee (right) at Betty’s wedding

A track on a yet-to-be-released album, “Shifting Promises – Altered Dreams” is dedicated to her memory.

An orchestral drone and plaintive flute anticipate an unavoidable sadness. The orchestra then underscores a contemplation of loss and leads the listener to a lighter, up-beat passage which fades to a residue of longing, love and melancholy: