Snapper’s pics lifting spirits in lockdown
‘PHIL IS AN INSPIRATION’
A Self-taught photographer who spent his life overcoming terrible odds is using his stunning images of the North East to help people around the world beat the lockdown blues.
Phil Benton, from Chopwell, Gateshead, lost his main source of income when coronavirus restrictions shut down markets.
But he decided to use his creative talents to lift people’s spirits and began combining his images with inspirational quotes, which he shared on social media.
Now he is selling printed copies of the images through his website and Facebook, following an overwhelming response to his work.
The 55-year-old said: “After what happened to me, I know what people are going through at the moment – the uncertainty, the feeling that they are not in control of their destiny. That’s why I started adding inspirational quotes and sharing them on social media. The response has been brilliant.”
The impact of Covid-19 is just the latest in a lifetime of hurdles Phil has overcome since developing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) at the age of 19.
The debilitating condition causes him spells of extreme tiredness, similar to symptoms experienced with ‘long Covid’. And it once left him bedridden for five months. Crippling bouts of depression during his life have also contributed to his suffering.
Phil added: “As a teenager, I would ski, played golf and was the life and soul of the party. Then I took ill and was bedridden. I was weak, my body slowed right down. I was a painter and decorator at the time and I thought I had lead poisoning from the paint. It knocked me for six.”
Eventually, Phil and his friends raised funds to pay for private treatment, but the benefits were short-lived and his physical and mental health deteriorated again.
But rather than letting his disabilities define him, Phil grabbed the opportunities that came his way. He joined a camera club, where he discovered a talent for photography.
Three years ago, his photograph of the South Shields lighthouse at the entrance to the Tyne, Herd Groyne, entitled ‘The Lights’ won him the accolade of highly commended in the National Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.
Having learned to manage his condition, lose three stones in weight and feeling mentally well, Phil found a successful niche selling his prints at markets and fairs until coronavirus stopped them.
Phil said: “The lockdown would have floored the old me, but I thought, no, I’m not letting it.
“My work means more to me than money. It’s my therapy. The fact that it also brings a lot of other people joy is the icing on the cake and a lot have asked me for copies of my work.”
Phil has been working alongside Consett’s This is Me Agency, a company which supports disabled people. And Michelle Wade from the agency was full of praise for Phil’s achievements.
She said: “Phil is an inspiration. He has remained upbeat, despite his health and being unable to sell his work in the usual outlets, and his passion and dedication is a great example to all.”