Against all odds
It’s time to stop making excuses and get out there with your camera, says Tracy Calder. here she takes inspiration from three photographers who refuse to give in
tracy Calder speaks to three photographers who have battled the odds to pursue the art they love
When it comes to generating excuses the human mind is a master. We might have every intention of getting up before dawn to shoot a misty landscape, but then a little imp whispers in our ear: ‘If you get up now you’ll be too tired to go to work; why not just stay in bed and rest?’ If we ignore this irksome sprite it becomes insistent. ‘ There’s no way you’ll get the picture you want without an ND grad,’ it proposes. ‘Wait until you can afford more equipment.’ Most of the time we give in to this demon, turn off the alarm and go back to sleep – after all, our brains are hardwired to follow the path of least resistance. Sometimes we blame external sources: it’s cold outside and the battery will run out (technology); I need to be in a meeting at 9am, and if I stop to take pictures the traffic will be bad (work). In reality, the reason we generate excuses is often more personal. Deep down we might believe that the images we take are not good enough so there’s no point in getting up early, or perhaps we feel cross that our money has to be spent on paying bills rather than on our hobby. Whatever the reason, we need to fight these excuses – if we don’t face them head on we could end up limiting our creative potential.
Blind love
Sometimes, however, the obstacles are not of our own making. In recent years I’ve come across many inspiring individuals who have good reasons not to practise photography, and yet they still do. Chris Nowell is a great example. Chris spent eight years serving in the British Army, completing tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, before sustaining an injury. He suffered neurological damage and
lost the vision in his right eye and the peripheral vision in his left. But with help from Blind Veterans UK he discovered a love of photography and began exploring his local landscape, including the Peak District National Park. ‘I use photography as part of my personal rehabilitation,’ he explains. ‘It pushes me to stay active and enjoy the outdoors, but I often fall over when I’m out photographing – in fact, it’s a good day when I don’t!’
For Chris, one of the biggest obstacles early on was not being able to drive, but he overcame this by asking local photographers for a lift. ‘It was almost impossible to get anywhere for sunrise,’ he recalls, ‘so I reached out for help and found photographers Mark Henson and Paul Millard, both from Dronfield.’ Despite their assistance Chris initially struggled with some of the technical aspects. ‘I thought I was doing okay, but looking back, a lot of my photographs were badly exposed,’ he recalls. Chris persisted, however, and his positive attitude has led to great improvements in his work. ‘I never give up,’ he explains. ‘Because of that my photography improves every day.’ Chris uses a Canon EOS 5D Mark III owing to its large (3.2in) LCD screen, which helps him to compose his images. He teams this with a Vanguard tripod with liquid indicators and bright colours on the
adjustable parts. Having set up his gear, he uses the magnify tool on his camera to ensure his focusing is spot on.
While he enjoys shooting sunsets Chris generally prefers a morning shoot. ‘For me there is nothing better than watching the sunrise on a peaceful Derbyshire day,’ he says. ‘ The light is soft and easier for me to see, and everything is calm. I remember days when I couldn’t walk or do anything independently, which is why I like mornings – they are a wake-up call for me.’
Overcoming Tourette’s
Another individual who has excelled at photography despite obstacles is Paul Stevenson. Paul has late-onset Tourette Syndrome, which, in his case, causes involuntary body movements and vocal tics including coprolalia (swearing and cursing). As a result, he struggles to be out in public. Thankfully he has found some respite via photography. ‘When I first had TS – at the age of 46 – I found it difficult to leave the house,’ he admits. ‘My wife bought me a camera and suggested I take pictures of our family. Right from day one I loved it. It opened another world to me and gave me a reason to leave the house.’ When Paul is being creative he feels as though he’s in a different zone. ‘I wake up with ideas about the images I want to create,’ he enthuses. Paul is keen to raise awareness of Tourette Syndrome and has appeared in several documentaries on the subject for the BBC – Employable Me – and
National Geographic, among others. He is quick to point out that when it comes to photography his condition has some advantages. ‘I look at and process things in a different way,’ he says. ‘I have discovered that I am a creative and visual thinker.’
Paul’s creative streak, and his desire to help others, has led him to start a camera creativity workshop, which has helped adults and children suffering from TS, ADHD, OCD and ASD to express their creativity via the camera.
Forgetting the pain
For nature lover Tesni Ward, photography is a welcome distraction from the pain and discomfort of psoriatic arthritis – a genetic disease that leads to inflammation of the joints, muscles and connective tissues. ‘It’s usually worse first thing in the morning, gradually calming down as the day goes on,’ she reveals. ‘It currently affects my hands, back and knees, but it has a habit of spreading to new and random joints.’
Photographing wildlife involves a lot of crouching, crawling and awkward movements, which can exacerbate the condition. ‘When I’m having a bad day it can be extremely painful,’ confides Tesni. ‘ There are occasions when I lose dexterity in my hands and fingers or suffer muscle spasms which can make movement very uncomfortable, and it’s been known to confine me to the house for several days at a time.’
Despite the pain, Tesni has created some incredible work, and is a popular guest speaker at camera clubs and nature groups across the UK. It’s clear that sharing her passion has a positive impact on her physical and mental wellbeing. ‘When something incredible or exciting is happening in front of me and I’m busy taking photos I forget all about the pain and discomfort and just get on with it,’ she confirms.
In a bid to reduce the weight and bulk of her equipment Tesni switched to the Olympus mirrorless system in 2016. ‘When struggling with my dexterity I use a function called Pro Capture, which instructs the camera to take shots before I’ve fully pressed the shutter,’ she explains. ‘ This reduces the risk of missing an opportunity.’ When she’s shooting in cold conditions – which can make her condition worse – Tesni often uses hand warmers, which allow her to carry on shooting a little bit longer. ‘A monopod can also help if I’m struggling with my back, along with using an articulated screen for awkward angles,’ she suggests.
So the next time your alarm goes off and that imp starts whispering in your ear, just ignore it. There are always going to be reasons not to go out with your camera, but few are as compelling as the ones Chris, Paul and Tesni face. Despite the challenges, these enthusiastic image-makers have displayed enormous courage by asking for help, getting out there, and looking for positives. In return for their efforts photography has rewarded them with improved confidence, temporary respite from their conditions, and some mighty fine images to boot. So no excuses, get out there!
‘When I’m busy taking photos I forget about all the pain and discomfort and just get on with it’