Photographing Through Pain
A Personal Visual Journey
Why Do You Photograph?
At first, I thought the answer was simple: creativity, memories, enjoyment. But the truth is deeper. Photography became more than a hobby — it became survival. A way to quiet the noise of illness, to reflect, and to discover pieces of myself I didn’t know were there.
“Photography became not just a passion, but a survival tool.”
The Voice Beneath the Cliffs
Carved by Time
“Photography is my favorite kind of therapy - no appointment needed”
Living With an Invisible Illness
For 30 years I’ve lived with fibromyalgia — an illness others can’t see but I feel every day. Pain, fatigue, and unpredictability shape my world. Photography gives me a voice, a way to make the invisible visible. Each image is a small act of reclaiming joy and control.
“Imagine your body is a house, but someone forgot to finish fixing the wiring, and occasionally the lights (and nerves) spark randomly.”
Crystal Bloom
Ash and Ember
What the Darkness Holds
Twilight in Motion
“This is what my pain feels like - messy, tangled, but strangely beautiful through the lens.”
Escaping Through the Lens
On difficult days, the camera is my escape. Focusing on a curve of a leaf or shifting light is like putting on noise-cancelling headphones for the soul. Abstract photography, in particular, demands patience and attention — giving me space from the pain and inviting me to see beauty in chaos.
““Sometimes the best distraction is seeing the world differently.””
Sunshine
“When the body feels choatic, focusing on tiny, intricate details brings order. It’s mindfulness with a shutter button.”
Whispers of the Canopy
The Velvet Edge
Black Beauty
Photography as Emotional Expression
My images mirror how I feel — some radiate hope and light, others carry solitude or heaviness. Both are honest. Photography allows emotions that are hard to speak to exist freely: grief and resilience, darkness and joy, all finding a place in my work.
“Every photograph is a piece of my emotional landscape.”
Rust and Resilience
Shattered
Crimson Oracle
Whispers of Light
Acceptance and Adaptation
I’ve learned to slow down, to work with what my body allows. Sometimes beauty is right in a sunlit window or the frost outside. Adapting my process — lighter gear, even phone photography — doesn’t limit me. It offers new perspectives, unexpected angles, and sometimes, laughter.
““Adaptation isn’t limitation — it’s creativity in disguise.””
“Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping - it means noticing more.”
The Listener
Quiet Guardian
The Gathering
“Mushrooms are best photographed from the side...if you can get up again after!”
Reflections
The golden light after a storm. A laugh shared with a friend on a photo walk. Tiny details others overlook. These are the moments I treasure most.
I don’t have one fixed answer to “Why do you photograph?”. The answer changes as I do. Photography didn’t erase my pain, but it gave me a voice, a way to connect, and a reminder that even within limitations, life can still be rich with beauty.
“The Question ‘Why do you photograph?’ will forever evolve - just like life itself.”
The Architecture of Spring
Drift
“Through my photos, I found a way to make the invisble visible. Not to complain, but to connect.”
Final Message
Photography didn’t take away my pain. But it gave me back a voice, my joy, and a way to be present in a body that sometimes feels like a stranger.
Realm of Shadows and Light
Thanks for reading my journey and for ‘seeing’ the world though my eyes.