Tara

I shot with fellow model Tathiel, who I knew as Tara, in March 2009 at a Bristol studio. It was great to shoot with another model from Somerset and more than that, we got on like a house on fire! I had admired her distinctive cyber styling for a while, so was pleased that she was styling our shoot!

 Tara and me

Photographer: Andy Mills

We stayed in contact after the shoot and chatted about modelling, career stuff, anxiety and self-esteem stuff. Every time I read one of her blogs, posts or comments online- which was a lot, as we were of course on all the same networking sites, as well as Facebook- they were always so sweet, no matter how she was feeling inside. I work in a land that is very much concentrated on what's on the surface, and not digging too deeply below this surface is par for the course.

Last weekend, at the age of 23, Tara took her own life. She was beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside, but with more troubles than she could bear. I'm too shell-shocked to know what more to say. I'm so sorry Tara; you deserved a long, happy life with people who loved and appreciated you and I wish I had done more.

RIP Tara Farthing

1988 - 2011