Mike's story: Parkinson's and nature photography
Mike Read has a life-long passion for nature photography and the outdoors. He tells us how getting into nature helps him manage his Parkinson’s.
I’ve been a wildlife photographer for 50 years and was a wildlife tour guide for 25 years. Nature has always interested me, especially in the New Forest, where I’ve lived all my life.
I’ve been lucky enough to take photographs around the world, including in New Zealand, the Galapagos Islands and the USA. I’ve photographed all sorts of wildlife, from bears to penguins.
I’ve gone on photography trips to forests, mountain ranges and the Utah desert. But the New Forest will always be home.
I started having minor tremors and constipation 6 years ago, but I wasn’t diagnosed until last year. Unfortunately, the NHS was taking too long. It took me over a year to get an initial appointment.
In the end, I went private for 3 appointments, and was finally diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I’ve been coming to terms with my diagnosis since then and am now back in the NHS system.
I felt relieved to finally understand my symptoms but scared and worried about the future. I’m still coming to terms with having Parkinson’s, but photography makes things easier.
Changing my focus
Photography helps me because it takes my focus away from Parkinson’s. It’s all about getting stuck into a hobby you love. When I’m concentrating on taking photographs, I tend to relax and get lost in the task at hand.
Going out into nature improves my symptoms. I don’t shake as much when I’m outside. Relaxing generally helps with my tremors and being in beautiful surroundings is very calming.
Managing my symptoms in the field
Parkinson’s has certainly posed some challenges when I’m out photographing, especially my tremors. Sometimes, when I’m birdwatching, my hands shake, which can make it difficult to focus on the birds. I now use Opticron Imagic binoculars, which are image stabilised, to minimise the impact of the motion from my tremor.
I’m more reliant on my car than before but I still get out walking as much as possible. My car has helped me overcome some of my problems with tremors. I sit in my car and rest my camera on the open window to get a good, shake-free shot.
Try it yourself
I strongly encourage anyone thinking of trying nature photography or wildlife watching for the first time to give it a go. It’s as much about being out in green spaces as it is about finding wildlife. Start by going for a stroll in some woodlands or at a nature reserve, anywhere there might be some wildlife living.
You don’t have to live in the countryside to enjoy nature photography. If you live in a built-up area, you could go along to a local park. Anywhere that gives you peace and quiet to lose yourself and the troubles of the day, but definitely don’t wander off and get lost in the mountains somewhere!
In terms of photography, the first step is to get to know your camera. Understand what type of lens you have and make sure you have good image stabilisation (IS). This will minimise the effect of any movement of the camera as you take pictures.
Once you’ve got a camera that works for you, you should be able to use it for a good while. Going along to a camera shop and having a chat with the staff can help you get to know what’s available.
Not every photo needs to be of publishable quality or look ‘professional’. Just aim to capture a moment.
If you like your photos, then they’re good photos. Don’t compare yourself to others. Just be happy and set your own standards. Then you can enjoy taking photos for their own sake and the mental and physical benefits the process hopefully brings.