Although I have enjoyed photography my whole life, I really began capturing images in earnest in 2015. Why?

In 2014 I underwent treatment for cancer in my upper arm. An extensive shoulder replacement left me with chronic pain and limited mobility. I quickly realized that the hobbies I had enjoyed like dragon boating, canoeing, renovating, and gardening were suddenly either much more difficult or impossible.

One of the ways I rallied against depression was to take a photo each day with my phone and write about it. Although some photos we quite dark, most were joyful- recognizing and admiring the beauty of my surroundings and people- strangers and friends alike.

After a few months, a bit to my surprise, I saw that those daily photos were telling a story: not of a man living with pain and depression, but of someone who was engaging with the world, leading a life filled with wonder and beauty. After a while, I ditched the writing and focused on the photography. I thought, it would be nice to be able to do something better AFTER the cancer than before.

My husband bought me a Nikon B700 Coolpix super zoom, and I began posting a photo each day- well most days. I saw my photos getting better. I joined a few photo clubs- on line and at UVic. In February 2020, I purchased a Nikon Z6.

I am beginning to view myself more of a visual artist than a photographer. I’m not afraid to process the heck out of a photo if need be, in an effort to help the viewer feel like I felt when I took the picture. I’ve also played with software that transforms photos into painting-like images, again as a technique to help the viewer feel what I was feeling. I continue to learn each day, see new things and look forward to finding out what shots I’ll be taking in a month, a year, or even 20 years down the road.