Fog filled head, I forced myself out for a drive at the weekend. No idea where I was going, I drove unknown country lanes, lined with the evidence of autumn. Perhaps it's the shorter days, maybe a year full of work suddenly ending, a change in the weather. Whatever it is, it's pushing my shoulders down, pushing my mood down. My words have become super accelerated, mind overflowing, body twitching. As the days blend into one I'm starting to recognise the causes. Past problems unresolved are floating to the surface. I drove places I'd never been before, lanes that looked like each other until I found myself at Cawfields car park on Hadrian's Wall. I walked for hours in the drizzle, in a daze, until I gained some perspective.
#hadrianswall
#northumberland
#northeastengland
#mentalhealth
#landscapephotography
#walkingnorthumberland
#landscape_captures
#lovenorthumberland
#landscapelover
#wanderlust
Woodland walks. It has been a long time since I've been this low. I can't work out what it is that is breaking my stride. Life is giving me everything that I want, but sometimes I cannot stop the darkness from enveloping me. Behind the ringing in my ears, my mind is filled with the worst of the past; every loss, every failure, every scar, every hurt. I've reached out for help, but as always it comes too slowly and with every waiting day the problems become more significant. I am struggling to keep those things in place that help; run everyday, eat properly, sleep well, take time. Time between the trees is my only reprieve.
#mentalhealth
#slaleyforest
#northumberland
Heading towards our final day on the @vetrun180 Scotland Coast to Coast expedition. An inspirational trip, stunning scenery and great memories shared with an incredible group of military veterans and @sandgrousetravel .
#veterans
#vetrun180
#veteranssupportingveterans
#veteranscharity
#charity
#expedition
#explorescotland
#scottishhighlands
#scotland
#militarycharity
#military
#army
#britisharmedforces
#marines
#royalmarines
In Scotland with @vetrun180 amazing scenery, challenging routes and sideways rain, perfect for any expedition. All part of the fun on Vetrun180 , taking injured veterans on expeditions around the world.
@vetrun180
@dedmansimon
@sandgrouse_traveller
@sandgrousetravel
#vetrun180
#veterans
#veteranssupportingveterans
#militarycharity
#military
#army
#marines
#royalmarines
#britisharmedforces
#britisharmy
#britain
#charity
#expeditions
#scottish
#scottishhighlands
#scotland
#scottishlandscape
Back to Landrover Experience in Skipton to photograph Veterans training in 4x4 driving for @vetrun180 . Tomorrow we head up to Scotland to take the group of injured veterans on a coast to coast expedition from Dunnattor castle in the East to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse in the west.
@vetrun180
@joey1leg_
@k.raffs
@rossjamesturner
@dedmansimon
@sandgrousetravel
@sandgrouse_traveller
@landroverexp
@daleswayyorkshireltd
#veterans
#vetrun180
#veteranssupportingveterans
#adventuretherapy
#adventuretraining
#expedition
#scottish
#scottishhighlands
#4x4
#offroad
#landroveruk
#landrover
#army
#navy
#marines
#britisharmedforces
#britisharmy
#royalmarines
#scotland
Last day of off-roading with @vetrun180 another amazing opportunity, helping injured veterans through expeditions and 'adventure therapy'. The conditions and weather have been excellent, a bit of rain to keep the routes interesting, but plenty of sun and dry spells, so that morale stays high.
@mr.matt.edwards
@rebeccahc_official
@dedmansimon
@the_bootneck_barber
#veterans
#vetrun180
#military
#army
#marines
#royalmarines
#charity
#veteranssupportingveterans
#veteranscharity
#soldiers
#lakedistrict
#yorkshiredalesnationalpark
#britisharmedforces
Back out with @vetrun180 documenting another group of Veterans on an 'adventure therapy' expedition. This time a coast to coast 4x4 trip across the Yorkshire Moors, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District, the same journey that last year, helped to lift me from a very dark place.
These images are from the driver training the Veterans are currently taking at Landrover Experience in Skipton.
@vetrun180
@stevesampher
@bobby__burgess
@dedmansimon
@landrover_uk
@landroverukpr
@daleswayyorkshireltd
@landroverexp
#landrover
#landroveruk
#veterans
#vetrun180
#veteranssupportingveterans
#charity
#military
#militarycharity
#army
#royalmarines
#uk
#britisharmedforces
#britisharmy
#marines
#injuredveterans
Up at 4.30 this morning and just down the road to take on Ben Nevis, all 4413 ft of it. Totally unplanned, fast walking, bit of running up it, running down it completed it in just under 3 hours 30 minutes. Legs aching, ankles swollen but an amazing feeling of achievement.
#bennevis
#fortwilliam
#bennevissummit
#scotland
#scenicbritain
#lovescotland
#landscapephotography
#vetrun180
#scottishlandscape
#scottishlandscapephotography
#scottishhighlands
#highlandsofscotland
#scottish
Another brilliant opportunity for photographs as part of the @vetrun180 team, supporting @pilgrimbanditscharity with their John O'Groats to Landsend cycle.
@stevesampher
@rossjamesturner
@rosswebster1
@gearmartin1
@hatfields_land_rover
#veterans
#vetrun180
#militarycharity
#military
#britisharmedforces
#britain
#britisharmy
#royalmarines
#scotland
#jogle
Starlight over the @vetrun180 camp last night. The start of a two week trip from John O'Groats to Landsend supporting @pilgrimbanditscharity and @cyclechallange4mnd
#veterans
#vetrun180
#pilgrimbandits
#johnversusmnd
#veteranscharity
#veteranssupportingveterans
#militarycharity
#military
#britisharmedforces
#britisharmy
#royalmarines
Hampton Court Castle, Herefordshire with @walt3592 Without a doubt one of the best gardens I've photographed. A walled garden with formal and informal sections, beautiful weather, a brilliant day in a relaxing environment.
@hamptoncourtcastle
#hamptoncourtcastle
#herefordshire
#hopeunderdinmore
#castle
#britain
#britishlandscape
#england
#loveherefordshire
#photosofbritain
#photosofengland
#flowersofinstagram
#poppies
#capturingbritain
#flowersphotography
#gardenphotography
The most amazing week, full of opportunity, ending with a helicopter journey down the country and back. I can't put into words how much Matt Abbott and Simon Dedman have done for me. The course this week has challenged me in lots of ways, but has also reminded that I can be of value, that there is a purpose to my life and that there are a brilliant bunch of guys in @Vetrun180 who will always have my back. Thanks for everything guys.
@dedmansimon @the.sofa.design.studio @rossjamesturner @bobby__burgess @stevesampher
#vetrun180
#veterans
#vetranssupportingveterans
#helicopter
#britisharmedforces
#veteranscharity
#aerialphotography
#landscapephotography
#britishlandscape
#britisharmy
Another day of medical training with @vetrun180, this afternoon resuscitation practical after a morning having our head stuffed with information on haemothorax and anaphylaxis.
#medic
#photography
#expedition
#veterans
#britisharmy
#medicaltraining
#britishmilitary
#vetshelpingvets
#militarycharity
#militarytraining
#charity
@dedmansimon
@rossjamesturner
@stevesampher
@bobby__burgess
@prometheusmedicalltd
Privileged to be attending the First Responder Emergency Care course with other military veterans for @vetrun180 . Thanks to @ian.scott135 from Prometheus Medical for the excellent training today.
#medic
#photography
#expedition
#veterans
#britisharmy
#medicaltraining
#britishmilitary
#vetshelpingvets
#militarycharity
#militarytraining
#charity
@dedmansimon
@rossjamesturner
@stevesampher
@bobby__burgess
@prometheusmedicalltd
Bit of an unusual day today, didn't expect to photographing here this morning. As always very special photographing veterans with @vetrun180
#veterans
#military
#adventuretherapy
#vetrun180
#britisharmy
#royalmarines
#britisharmedforces
@dedmansimon
@timnicolini
@bobby__burgess
@rossjamesturner
@stevesampher
@jamesdedman
@vetrun180
A field full of wild flowers that I've passed numerous times in the last few weeks and not made the time to stop at. By the time I got to photographing them, they had been flattened by heavy rain.
A bit bruised, battered and having lost a few petals they are not at their best, but with a little sunlight and a bit of time they will be standing tall again.
#wildflowers
#landscpaephotography
#naturephotography
#nature
#northumberland
#northeastengland
#lovenorthumberland
#beautifulbritain
#britain
#britishlandscape
#photosofengland
#photosofbritain
#flowers
#flowersofinstagram
#flowerstagram
The North East coast, rugged and beautiful. I’ve spent a lot of time here over the last few weeks. The rhythm of breaking waves, the chime of pebbles being smoothed by the movement of the water, the call of Oystercatchers and kittiwakes, a hypnotic and relaxing soundscape. Tynemouth, Marsden, Roker and yesterday Seaham with @venetiaparkins
#coast
#tynemouth
#southshields
#seaham
#marsdengrotto
#roker
#northeastengland
#northumberland
#tyneside
#tyneandwear
#seascape
#uklandscape
#thisprettyengland
#coastalliving
#landscpaephotography
Agapanthus or Lily of the Nile
A few from the archive, photographed a few years ago at The Alnwick Garden. It had been raining most of the morning, but when it stopped the flowers glistened and their colours were even more vibrant.
#alnwic#thealnwickgarden
#alnwickgardens
#flowers
#flowerstagram
#flowersofinstagram
#agapanthus
#photosofbritain
#naturephotography
#gardensofinstagram
Foxgloves in Slaley forest. It seems only moments since the trees had no leaves and the vegetation had died back. Now the forest is overwhelmed by the green of summer.
#forest
#nature
#foxglove
#photography
#photosofbritain
#tree_shotz
#treesofinstagram
#tree_pictures
#tree_brilliance
#tree_magic
#gloriousbritain
#photosofbritain
#genuinebritain
#visionsofbritain
#visitengland
#scenicbritain
Tall Poppy Syndrome is a term used to put down people of genuine talent and merit. Particularly in Australia the term is used to make people feel bad about achieving or succeeded. I have spent a life time being treated in that way. Being built up to be something special, put on a pedestal, so that people can tear me down. Being pushed to succeed, but having done it being told that I was: ‘too intelligent for my own good’, ‘think I know everything’, ‘that I’m not paid to think’, that I ‘should know my place’, that I am ‘overbearing’, ‘hard work’, ‘too sensitive’, 'have an attitude problem', ‘think too hard’. I have been told countless times that I inspire people, particularly in my work. I always go out of my way to do the best for people, always go beyond expectations to help people, yet even those closest to me, use my talents, skills, honesty, integrity to beat me with.
This week it has been that I am ‘too honest’ and ‘too direct’ even after being asked to be honest and direct. I am an excellent communicator, my work for over 20 years has been about communicating messages to people, either through photography, film, design, writing or with my voice. Yet even with a very clear message impossible to misinterpret, I am still criticised. No, in fact told that I had not done enough. In reality I was being blamed for someone else’s mistake. But even with those facts proven and solidified, I, as always am the one that has had to take the blame and the punishment. Put back in my place, my head pushed down, tortured for doing the right thing.
How do we deal with that? We live in a society where being the best is all important, but also where anyone who is the best is relentlessly criticised. I have always struggled to find people who accept me the way that I am. In 2019 shortly after the death of my wife and when, with the exception of only a few, my ’friends’ deserted me, I promised to surround myself only with people who appreciated me for who I was and what I could do and move away from those that didn’t. That group of people continues to get ever smaller.
#poppies
#poppy
#wildflowers
#northyorkshire
#landscpaephotography
#nature
#photography