So who am I?
Good question, I think we all ask ourselves that from time to time.
I’m just a boring someone who works long hours in a demanding job. I live in Guildford and work in Croydon so Monday to Friday I travel to and from work, which can take up 3 hours of my day. However, I love my job and would probably be classed as some form of a workaholic, as its always been a high priority for me.
Like a lot of people I have had many struggles over the years, as I touched on in the brief details on my homepage anxiety took over my life for more than a decade. If it wasn’t for photography I’m not sure where I would be now, so when I say taking up photography changed my life I really mean it.
It all changed for me when I joined Bookham Camera Club in about 2012, with absolutely no idea about camera settings or composition. Just joining was a strange and brave thing for me to do and I’m still not sure why I suddenly did it, but I’m so glad I did. From the very first evening everyone was so friendly and helpful. I had a few lessons with Eddie on how to understand the manual settings and off I went. What was great for me in the early days was when a panic attack was building I would shut my eyes and start going over camera settings. At this point in my photography journey it seemed harder to learn than driving a car, so I had plenty to keep my mind occupied. Within the first few months of joining the club I had also signed up to go away with a few camera club members on a weekend photography trip, who was this new person?
Over the years my confidence has grown so much, I had a few hypnotherapy sessions to keep the anxiety at bay and here I am. I now arrange weekend trips away, sometimes on my own and sometimes with other photography friends. I have displayed my photography work in exhibitions and created this website. I have also achieved my LRPS accreditation with the Royal Photography Society all of which are amazing to think of shy old me.
For those that are interested I have mainly used Canon equipment and have recently bought the Kase filter system.
My goals going forward would be to have more time enjoying the outdoors, maybe stalking the wading birds, being in the moment of a beautiful sunrise, or maybe create a book. I have so many things I want to do but the one thing I really wish is that if anyone reading this has struggled like me, they give photography a go or another hobby, it might just help change their path in life for the better.
I have a few close friends and family to thank for helping me through the difficult days and who knows where my photography journey will go next, to quote a phrase my friend Emily says “I’m just living my best life” or trying to at least.