In memoriam: Michael Cameron RIP

Out of the blue I received an email today from a stranger. Michael D. had found out that his friend Michael Cameron had died on Tuesday last week and had a done a google search about him.  My Blipfoto portrait of Michael appeared, which I took in November 2011and Michael realised that I might not know he had died.

So within minutes we had spoken and I had told Pip who also didn't know. Michael C. had been diagnosed with throat cancer late last year and had operations and the usual treatments. I had heard he was recovering well but was truly shocked at the speed with which he had become terminally ill.

We will be going to his funeral in London next week but I wanted to mark the day when I heard, and as the dying of the day's light occurred I am using the sunset to honour his memory. I had known him since my first weeks at college in 1969 when I was 19, and Mike was two years older.  We shared many days and nights listening to music watching films and sharing our lives until we both moved on into adulthood.  But we stayed in touch and Mike went on to become amazing teacher of design in several important art schools and will be sorely missed by many of his students, some of whom I have been fortunate to meet. 

I have added my portrait of Mike as an 'Extra photo' today.  You can see the original here in my journal.