A talented photographer has lost her battle against breast cancer at the age of just 29.
Eilidh Thomson was diagnosed with the illness only four months ago. And last night, her family paid tribute to the fun-loving young store manager and revealed she never let the disease stop her from indulging in her passion.
She was highly gifted with a camera and twice had her work exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.
Speaking yesterday at the family’s home in Allan Road, Forres, her mother, Alice, said: “Eilidh loved photography and she was wonderful at it. Cameras were her life.
“Eilidh tackled her condition very bravely.
“She went from never being unwell to being poked and prodded while going through the horrendous chemotherapy.
“But she didn’t let it stop her. Every chance she got she was out and about with her cameras and lenses, right up to a fortnight ago, when she was taken ill again. She could never sit still. Even as a little girl she would be outside in her coat and wellies when it was raining. She just loved being outdoors.
“Her first love was landscape photography so living here was the perfect environment for her.”
Her deep knowledge of the subject also made her popular with customers at the Inverness branch of photography specialist Jessops, where she was manager.
Eilidh’s passion for her work was such that in 2012 she beat off competition from 186 other branches to be named the company’s store manager of the year.
Her colleagues have now asked for permission to rename the award the Eilidh Thomson Memorial Trophy in her honour.
The former Applegrove Primary and Forres Academy pupil exhibited her work across Scotland, with shows in Aberdeen, Thurso, Wick, Inverness and Findhorn.
She also ran her own website – Perception-of-Light.co.uk – which showcases her work.
Eilidh went to work at Jessops after attending Moray School of Art, where she completed an honours degree in fine art, specialising in photography.
Her sister, Lyndsay, 33, said: “Eilidh was so laid back she was almost horizontal.
“Even when she was given the award by Jessops, she just took it in her stride.
“Photography was something that defined her life, but she also enjoyed all sports, including gymnastics, tap dancing, badminton and hockey. But her main sporting love was football. She was a mad Hearts fan and often attended matches at Tynecastle.
“It’s hard to think of life without her. The only consolation is that it happened quickly and she didn’t suffer very long.
“But I know she wouldn’t have wanted us to sit around moping and crying – she was never like that herself.
“There have been a lot of tears in the past few days, but there has been a lot of laughter too when we’ve talked together about the things she said and did.”
Eilidh’s funeral will be held at St Laurence Parish Church at Forres from 1.30pm tomorrow, and then Clovenside Cemetery.
Donations can be made to the high-dependency unit or the Macmillan Suite at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.