Rescued By Photography

[TheNevadanStig]

I am wondering how many of you would relate to photography making a big positive impact on their lives?

My story. I am 31 years old and disabled. For the most part, for the past 5 years, I have sat on the couch playing video games, surfing the web and watching netflix. Sure I would take the dog around the block a few times a week, but otherwise I was a fat, lazy, bitter man.
Then on Valentines day my wife bought me my D3200. I was rescued, literally. A wonderful thing started happening. I started to get up and move. Well, the first two days I played with the camera aiming it at my pets and figuring out how it worked. Then I decided that the stuff around my house wasn't interesting enough, so if I wanted to capture interesting things, I had to go search for them.
Stuff got real serious when I got my Sigma 70-300 after I decided I would primarily focus on wildlife. In the first 5 days I had the lens, I hiked 35 miles, in high altitude desert. The funny thing is, I never even thought twice about it. I never said god, I'm tired. Or ouch, I'm sore. All I could think about is, maybe around that next bend, something interesting might be lurking. The only things stopping me were the end of the day and weather.
Then the side effects started. I'm losing weight. My blood pressure is going down. I'm gaining muscle tone. And I'm not bored trying to force myself into the gym, I'm simply doing what I now love to do, every chance I get. I find beauty in things I ignored on a daily basis. I learned facts about things I didn't know existed.
So, has anyone else been "rescued" by photography?

 

[bribrius]

I wouldn't say rescued. But Interesting. Im only 37. Four weeks ago I had no time I was working six seven day weeks. Always been one of those adhd running full throttle kind of people. Well, just under four weeks ago. Dropped at work from a stroke. (apparently second one five years ago I refused a mri) . Got out of the e.r. tried to go back to work two days later, the e.r. cleared me. I dropped again. Didnt even make it to work I had to stop on the side of the road and I crawled out of the damn car. Now photography im using right now. I would be going nuts otherwise. out of work for three weeks now, not sure when I can go back. Doc wont sign to clear me. Corporation wont let me back without being cleared. It aint looking so good. I don't think the neuro people are even considering clearing me to go back for at least another month. so.. i've got time. Only problem is, I just started driving again. I could drive until that happend. couldn't drive for a couple weeks after but getting stronger. I still cant drive far the stuff going by fast messes with my head im not safe so am avoiding it. so im mostly hoofing it and taking lots of breaks on the way..
why you see me post a lot of river pics, I hike up and down it. Always did anyway, now I do it much more. (though my wife keeps telling me to take it easy and cut it out ill cause myself to get another stroke).

But photography, keeping me busy. moving stuff, picking stuff up. im getting stronger again. First week I was in pretty rough shape couldn't even walk right away.
Another reason I complain about dslrs so much. Last couple weeks, that thing has FELT HEAVY for me after a while. But, getting stronger again...I feel myself getting stronger.
photography is keeping me from going totally stir crazy nuts. And this place, looking at the photos. I get drained, I cant get out. I look at the photos of outside places.
off topic, but funny. I posted a thread on here a few weeks ago, right before this happened called "no time". As I had no time for photography. which I went back and deleted most of my posts from. Apparently someone MADE TIME for me.
I just hope in another month im able to go back at least half throttle but the corp. I work for is really pushing for me to be 100% cleared this time before they let me back.. Until whatever happens, I got a camera I can pick up and take walk with.

 

[bribrius]

I almost have to laugh thinking about that. I have three freakn cars, and at least at the moment, I CANT EVEN DRIVE!!!!!

 

[SquarePeg]

@bribrius - don't be in such a hurry to get back to a job and a lifestyle that is making you sick. Listen to your body, it's trying to tell you to slow down, get healthy, take care of yourself. I can relate to what you are going through. I had a health scare a few weeks ago and it really got me to reevaluate my priorities. I have since dialed back on my time spent working. The company gets me during my work hours (except when I sneak a peek here on TPF of course) but the rest of the time is for myself, my family and my friends.

@

TheNevadanStig - glad to hear that you have found your passion and been inspired to get out there.



​

 

[bribrius]

@bribrius - don't be in such a hurry to get back to a job and a lifestyle that is making you sick. Listen to your body, it's trying to tell you to slow down, get healthy, take care of yourself. I can relate to what you are going through. I had a health scare a few weeks ago and it really got me to reevaluate my priorities. I have since dialed back on my time spent working. The company gets me during my work hours (except when I sneak a peek here on TPF of course) but the rest of the time is for myself, my family and my friends.

@

TheNevadanStig - glad to hear that you have found your passion and been inspired to get out there.



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you sound a lot like my wife and parents. I hear that kind of thing a lot. Im just one of those hard headed stupidly determined people I think.

photography is giving me something else to do right now though. so im not quite AS stir crazy.

 

[weepete]

nah, a stroke is a stroke. Its really good if you are geting out and getting more excersise and being more active in your life outside of work. Glad your on the mend.

Personally I'm one of those full throttle guys too, I have too much on the go at one time but if I didn't I'd get bored.

 

[bribrius]

nah, a stroke is a stroke. Its really good if you are geting out and getting more excersise and being more active in your life outside of work. Glad your on the mend.

Personally I'm one of those full throttle guys too, I have too much on the go at one time but if I didn't I'd get bored.

other way around, i've gained more than ten pounds since I haven't been at work. course im eating more and running around less now...





-Nevada, you didn't clarify what your disability is. But I do think from what you said photography has been very good for you. You really don't want to be a static object. walking around, having a interest. Not playing so many video games. All good things it sounds like you are one hundred percent better off and photography has been a good influence on you.

 

[TheNevadanStig]

nah, a stroke is a stroke. Its really good if you are geting out and getting more excersise and being more active in your life outside of work. Glad your on the mend.

Personally I'm one of those full throttle guys too, I have too much on the go at one time but if I didn't I'd get bored.

other way around, i've gained more than ten pounds since I haven't been at work. course im eating more and running around less now...





-Nevada, you didn't clarify what your disability is. But I do think from what you said photography has been very good for you. You really don't want to be a static object. walking around, having a interest. Not playing so many video games. All good things it sounds like you are one hundred percent better off and photography has been a good influence on you.

Well, even the doctors don't know what exactly went wrong with me. It started in my intestinal tract, and we thought maybe it was IBD or crohns. The I got pancreatitus, which is when your pancreas starts to digest itself. That was fun. Then my kidneys started to go. Then my liver. Then thyroid. Then it started spreading to my vascular system, particularly my right leg.
This all happened over about a 5 month period or so. I couldn't eat much, plus was having malabsorbtion issues. I went from 235 pounds to 148 pounds in 5 months. I'm not saying I couldn't use to lose a few, but I'm a big guy regardless, and 148 pounds was WAY too underweight for me. It finally all started to subside, but left my body (and mind) a mess.

But three strokes, that is no joke. I am glad you're also finding comfort during your recovery.

 

[bribrius]

nah, a stroke is a stroke. Its really good if you are geting out and getting more excersise and being more active in your life outside of work. Glad your on the mend.

Personally I'm one of those full throttle guys too, I have too much on the go at one time but if I didn't I'd get bored.

other way around, i've gained more than ten pounds since I haven't been at work. course im eating more and running around less now...





-Nevada, you didn't clarify what your disability is. But I do think from what you said photography has been very good for you. You really don't want to be a static object. walking around, having a interest. Not playing so many video games. All good things it sounds like you are one hundred percent better off and photography has been a good influence on you.

Well, even the doctors don't know what exactly went wrong with me. It started in my intestinal tract, and we thought maybe it was IBD or crohns. The I got pancreatitus, which is when your pancreas starts to digest itself. That was fun. Then my kidneys started to go. Then my liver. Then thyroid. Then it started spreading to my vascular system, particularly my right leg.
This all happened over about a 5 month period or so. I couldn't eat much, plus was having malabsorbtion issues. I went from 235 pounds to 148 pounds in 5 months. I'm not saying I couldn't use to lose a few, but I'm a big guy regardless, and 148 pounds was WAY too underweight for me. It finally all started to subside, but left my body (and mind) a mess.

doctors know a lot, but at the same time they don't know ****. if you follow my reasoning. some things they can fix, a lot , they just cant.

hopefully you are doing better now.

 

[jenko]

Rescued might be too strong of a term, or maybe just the wrong term for my situation, but it has certainly helped me. I'm a recovering alcoholic. I practiced a different art before I got sober. However, it was so tied into the drinking that I could never really practice it after sobriety without being extremely tempted to drink again. But photography was an art that I had to be sober for. It was an art I learned as a sober person, and so it replaced my former art, which is important because I have always practiced an artform, and I doubt I could have stayed sober long without one.

 

[Civchic]

This is a deep thread. Wow.

For me, I have a great life. I have a good marriage, a great job, two AMAZING kids, a thriving-ish small business. But it was really swallowing me up. I had nothing that was just MINE. It was starting to feel like I was not myself anymore - I was Mom, I was wife, I was employee, I was landlord. Everyone else's needs came first.

I've always loved photography, but never took the leap. My sister is the artist, I'm the math kid. Last fall we had to cash in a bunch of airmiles, and my husband suggested I finally get that "good" camera. So I got the T3 and kit lens for "free"! Spent plenty of money since then, of course, but I'm so much happier now with my camera on my hip.

 

[jsecordphoto]

Rescued might be too strong of a term, or maybe just the wrong term for my situation, but it has certainly helped me. I'm a recovering alcoholic. I practiced a different art before I got sober. However, it was so tied into the drinking that I could never really practice it after sobriety without being extremely tempted to drink again. But photography was an art that I had to be sober for. It was an art I learned as a sober person, and so it replaced my former art, which is important because I have always practiced an artform, and I doubt I could have stayed sober long without one.

Kind of similar to me. I had loved photography in high school, working with black and white film in the darkroom. After high school and during my college years I picked up a nasty drug habit and abused alcohol but not as much as the drugs. My life was in complete shambles for about 5 years. I have just under 18 months sober now...around 5 or 6 months sober I picked up a DSLR after realizing how much I missed having that creative outlet. Photography has been a huge part of my sobriety and gives me new and exciting experiences constantly. 18 months ago (when I was basically homeless btw) if you had told me that I would be spending nights out in 0 degree weather trying to catch photos of the milky way, I'd think you were insane. I wouldn't say photography rescued me, but it has been a major positive influence on my life.

Also, I thought a drug habit was expensive until I started shopping for L-series glass and all the other photography equipment I drool over.

 

[TheNevadanStig]

Well, congrats to both of you on your sobriety! I have had a hell of a time just trying to quit nicotine. Went good for about 5-6 months but unfortunately just relapsed not to long ago. It's not an easy road, that's for sure.

 

[rexbobcat]

The effects of photography for me have fluctuated between positive and negative.

It did seem to give me a purpose in high school and it helped me to find a specific tract for college, so I don't spend 6 years not knowing what I'm even doing in school.

However, as I've gotten better, I've noticed how bad I really am. I guess it's a variation of the "The more you know, the more you know how much you don't know" line of wisdom.

And seeing how I have a really neurotic and perfectionist (all or nothing mentality) personality, I can go between excitement and anxious depression in the span of one shoot.

It's gotten worse with time, which admittedly, has only been a few years, but at the same time I don't know what else I would be pursuing if not photography. It's weird.

 

[Rick58]

Stress? I'm the maintenance supervisor for Parking Authority at the city of Reading, Pa. We're open 24/7 so I'm on call 24/7. The projects and decisions are never ending. Until last weekend I don't think I knew just how bad it really is.
I spent just 1 hour waiting for the sun to clear the trees for the last photo I posted. 1 hour above the city, in the quiet, sitting in the grass, alone, when it hit me. I couldn't remember the last time I did NOTHING, alone, for a complete hour.
Photography for me in general is therapy. It's my time, for me and my self gratification.