John Dearden
In February 2019 I took my kids to a seaside resort and I got jumped in an unprovoked attack. As I fell awkwardly against the car door, I broke the T12 vertebrae in my back. A subsequent operation went wrong I am now effectively paralysed from the chest down, and in a wheelchair. The police never found my attacker.
I was interested in photography before the attack, but had two jobs, so my free time was limited. When I was initially bed-bound, however, I found I was taking more and more pictures of sunsets, as my bedroom faces west. I really enjoyed this and it prompted me to learn more about photography, through books and websites. I got my first ‘proper’ camera, a Nikon CoolPix P900, for my birthday and I also started to experiment with moon photography and astro shots. Landscapes and wildlife are now my passion, particularly shooting in zoos.
A much-needed respite
As a result of my experiences, I suffer from bouts of severe depression and anxiety. What’s more, I’ve been told my condition is only going to get worse, leaving me fully paralysed. There is the damage to my nervous system, then all the infections on top of it. But photography enables me to go into a different world, offering some escape – I get immersed in what I’m doing. The nerve damage means I am in constant pain, but photography is like a ‘mind blocker’ and I forget about the wheelchair. It’s just me, the subject and the camera; getting absorbed in the editing also helps. I never had any artistic thoughts or aspirations before.
The Nikon was fine for moon shots, but I needed something more detailed for my animal pictures. I upgraded to the Olympus E-M1 Mark III as it’s lighter and more ergonomic for me than a heavier model, while still taking great pictures. I use the 12-100mm and 100-400mm zoom lenses, and
