
I caught the photography bug from my dad. One of my earliest memories is of playing with a light meter and being mesmerized by lumpy-bumpy light-detecting bit. I’ve always had a camera, first a cheapie 110, then a couple of cheapie 35mm’s, then a digital compact and now a DSLR and an iPhone. Until I took a course in photography a few years ago, I wasn’t actually very good at it, but now that I’ve learned about the art of composition and the importance of lighting and point of view etc, I can turn out a half-decent picture.
Photography isn’t just about the end product, though, the final picture. For me, photography is about the moment, about stopping and looking – really looking – and then capturing something more than an image; it’s about capturing a memory.
My memory is rubbish. I only have a few childhood memories and those are fading. I’ve forgotten so much, but photography helps me to remember. For the last year, I’ve been taking a photo every day and publishing it on blipfoto. It’s been a way to record the good things that happen, not just for me, for my children as well. One of our favourite things to do is snuggle up in bed and look through our photo albums. The kids love seeing themselves as babies and hearing about all the silly things they did, the cute little words they made up. Sophie’s early years are a blur to me – the years I had depression – but sitting there with her and laughing at the pictures in her album reminds me that it wasn’t all bad; there were some wonderful moments too.
- Time to Change
- Mind, the Mental Health Charity
- Black Dog Tribe
- Stress, Anxiety and Depression, NHS Choices
- YoungMinds, Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing
An explanation of my AtoZChallenge theme can be found at Me and My Mental Health – It’s Time to Talk.
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