Solace
DESCRIPTION
Solace came about from my use of photography - specifically long exposure landscape photography - as a form of therapy after leaving my role at The Times. The impact of stress through my role at The Times coupled with personal crisis, left me with mental health problems that I tried to ignore or cover up. Struggling to cope or express how I felt, I turned to my photography to try to use visuals to show what I failed to verbalise.
It has long been known that the creative process helps people deal with mental health problems, allowing a personal expression or exploration of the self. Photography for me was my voice; a voice that was heard by my counsellor and she helped me explore my journey through photography. This collection of images each represent key moments in my recovery from a point in my life that left me lost and self-isolated.
I have chosen not to add locations or technical information to the images, not for secrecy, just because those details are irrelevant to me and the moment the images were conceived. The lack of information allows you to have your own relationship and response or reaction to each photograph.
To me, photography is not about numbers and lenses. It is about the oneness I have with my subject, each moment is special and significant but it quickly dissolves and becomes something new.
The forty-two pages of the book have been folded, glued and trimmed by hand. It is important to me that the book has a human touch; the way the paper feels, smells and the weight of it are all significant factors. I chose the concertina style because it slows you down when you leaf through the pages, making you pause in your day - hopefully to enjoy the images.