Life is one big drama stage. We all have roller coaster moments, and in some of those down points, it is not strange to feel sorry for oneself even get depressed.But what do we really have to get so upset about? Money? Career? Loss of something or someone? Illness? Whatever the reason, it is OK to feel upset for a period of time, but life has to go on, regardless of how it has altered.
Often used to soften any bad situation the phrase, " there's someone worse of than you", made me think my point was being brushed under the carpet. But when I took a more sensible point of view, I realized people were trying to gently tell me to change my perspective and appreciate the good that was still around me. Yes I have my fair share of crap thrown at me by life but I'm still here. We're all still here.
I normally don't watch the early rolling news broadcast, mainly because I'm trying to sleep, but something about this pre dawn hour compelled to turn on the TV.
BBC's HARDtalk was beginning, the reporter was interviewing British photographer Giles Duley. Giles used to make a living taking celebrity pictures but had found his true voice through humanitarian photographs from his time in war zones such as Afghanistan with US troops. Whilst working, he stepped on land mine which blew both his legs and left arm off.
Giles was taken to nearest army hospital in war-torn Afghanistan and it looked as if he was not going make it; his family and friends were by his bed side, when he was brought back to the UK, and began to bid him farewell. But through everything and with great thanks to the excellent medical care Giles survived.
Anyone would understand if he had decided never to go back to what he was doing and started to feel low. Not him. He, with the love and support of those close to him, found the mental strength to say "I am going back to do what I love, photographing and showing the world the consequence of war and conflict."
Having worked closely with local afghans and gaining their trust so that they would give him remarkable photos that makes his portfolio most poignant, losing his limbs only made Duley's work that much more personal. "I take photographs of people at their worse. You could say I was the opposite of a wedding photographer. Having seen my own limbs blown and scattered around me, I now know what it's like having a camera shoved in my face to capture that moment."
Having worked closely with local afghans and gaining their trust so that they would give him remarkable photos that makes his portfolio most poignant, losing his limbs only made Duley's work that much more personal. "I take photographs of people at their worse. You could say I was the opposite of a wedding photographer. Having seen my own limbs blown and scattered around me, I now know what it's like having a camera shoved in my face to capture that moment."
With the help of a friend, Giles was determined to set up and take self portraits to reignite his career. "We go to a museum a look at a Greek statue with it's broken limbs and comment how beautiful they are, that's how I saw myself- a living Greek statue," Giles continues his work in Middle East and has found love along the. His work can been found here http://100portraitsbeforeidie.co.uk/
Life has it's pitfalls but when we start looking for the brighter side of it,even through immensely adversity, that slight change in perspective will see us through. Everything happens for reason.
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