A celebration of life

[karenoliver]

I spent an hour in the local hospice making photographs of the patients taking part in various therapies. I wanted the shots to be a celebration of life rather than dwell on the sadness that normally accompanies such shots. For this reason I decided to keep most of the shots in colour and not b/w. I only had an hour to capture the patients, the building and get a glimpse of life there and a big chunk of that time was spent having consent and release forms signed. It was hard going not having more time but I am going back on Thursday to do another hour or so of photographing. Not edited all my shots yet but will upload them as I do to my gallery if anyone is interested.

Patients have a good chat and laugh in the art therapy room



A patient Larking about with gift boxes that she had made.



A very brave lady, all smiles.



Comparing craft work in the therapy room



Art therapy helps patients forget for a short while and cope with their terminal illnesses.



An afternoon looking at food nutrition.



Art and craft room window



Karen

[PolaroidSky]

Good for you!... the colour works great here and you've really done well considering you had just and hour.

[ABERS]

It would be interesting to hear what proposal you put to the hospice and its patients as to what good or what purpose could be served by your photographing the facilities and the patients. Will it raise money for the hospice, will it bring comfort to those people who are suffering from this terrible and terrifying scourge, will your feeble efforts make any difference whatsoever or will it just further your own photographic career and aspirations?

Please don't come back with the excuse that you are a documentary photographer who wants to record that hospices are not all doom and gloom. It is true that cancer sufferers need to be able to forget things from time to time, but being photographed to satisfy your aspirations isn't one of them.

I speak from experience. My wife has been fighting the disease for 11 years, having undergone three major operations and three courses of chemotherapy and she doesn't need reminding of it by people like you, who lightly state and think it would be better illustrated in colour rather than B+W.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by PolaroidSky

Good for you!... the colour works great here and you've really done well considering you had just and hour.

Thanks, Jim :-)

Karen

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by ABERS

It would be interesting to hear what proposal you put to the hospice and its patients as to what good or what purpose could be served by your photographing the facilities and the patients. Will it raise money for the hospice, will it bring comfort to those people who are suffering from this terrible and terrifying scourge, will your feeble efforts make any difference whatsoever or will it just further your own photographic career and aspirations?

Please don't come back with the excuse that you are a documentary photographer who wants to record that hospices are not all doom and gloom. It is true that cancer sufferers need to be able to forget things from time to time, but being photographed to satisfy your aspirations isn't one of them.

I speak from experience. My wife has been fighting the disease for 11 years, having undergone three major operations and three courses of chemotherapy and she doesn't need reminding of it by people like you, who lightly state and think it would be better illustrated in colour rather than B+W.

You really are a horrible little man, Abers. Sorry but its got to be said.

I did not put forward a proposal to the hospice, it never entered my mind.

Firstly, I am a volunteer at the hospice and was approached by the charity fund raising team to make these photographs for new literature that they wanted to both promote the hospice and raise more money as it relies on volunteers and donations. I never approached them, they asked me and I agreed to give up my time yesterday afternoon to do so. I also photographed their drag walk for them last year and gave them 200 hi-res images for nothing. This year my images were used in new posters and brochures. Again, I was asked by them and did not put myself forward at all.

Secondly I was asked by the patients and staff to make the images colourful and joyful as they wanted the hospice not to be represented as a place to die but a place where people go for support and live. You really should not make comments unless you know the facts.

As for furthering my photographic aspirations, are you kidding?
I have no photographic career to further. I have not been paid for a single photograph in the whole 3 years I have been photographing. I didn't even get paid for the bbc shot, I added it to their flickr group. I am not and never will be a pro photographer. You really shouldnt make comments unless you know me personally.

I don't go out of the house on my own, I need my husband with me at all times. He gave up his career as a clinical psychologist to be my carer. The only place I go on my own is college and that took a very long time to do. And even then my husband takes me and picks me up. He was with me in the hospice yesterday!
My only realistic aspiration is to go to Newport Uni to study documentary photography and even then my husband would be coming as my carer. My photographic future Abers is simply posting my work to these boards and entering comps like DPOTY.

I really wanted constructive feedback so I could go back to the hospice on Thursday and do a good job for them.

Karen

[Cathus]

Abers has one point of view, I have another.

My stepmother died of cancer 4 years ago & ended her life in a hospice. My brother in law died of cancer in September last year in hospital, both died far too young.

I wish I had some photos of them in a moment of happiness like these.

Abers does not speak for everyone in such a desperate situation as to need the use of a hospice.

[Stormsong]

Now, now children . . .

I like two the best.

Regards,
Denise

[OldBoy]

Originally Posted by ABERS

It would be interesting to hear what proposal you put to the hospice and its patients as to what good or what purpose could be served by your photographing the facilities and the patients. Will it raise money for the hospice, will it bring comfort to those people who are suffering from this terrible and terrifying scourge, will your feeble efforts make any difference whatsoever or will it just further your own photographic career and aspirations?

Please don't come back with the excuse that you are a documentary photographer who wants to record that hospices are not all doom and gloom. It is true that cancer sufferers need to be able to forget things from time to time, but being photographed to satisfy your aspirations isn't one of them.

I speak from experience. My wife has been fighting the disease for 11 years, having undergone three major operations and three courses of chemotherapy and she doesn't need reminding of it by people like you, who lightly state and think it would be better illustrated in colour rather than B+W.

Sorry Abers, but I think you are OTT with this comment. You need to say sorry.

[OldBoy]

Well done Karen, a cracking series of shot. I'm sure they will be put to good use by the Hospice. To us outsiders it's a sad place, but you have shown it's full of life. The lady with the beaming smile says it all. Keep up the good work.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by Cathus

Abers has one point of view, I have another.

My stepmother died of cancer 4 years ago & ended her life in a hospice. My brother in law died of cancer in September last year in hospital, both died far too young.

I wish I had some photos of them in a moment of happiness like these.

Abers does not speak for everyone in such a desperate situation as to need the use of a hospice.

Thanks, Garry :-)

Sorry to hear of your loss :-(

I think what the patients wanted were shots that showed them happy for that reason, so family would have something nice. Plus they were all keen to appear in the fund raising brochures and give something back too. Its ran soley on donations and helps so many people. Their current brochures were dated so they wanted a new look to support some new drives and campaigns.

I had photographed the staff last year when they wanted publicity shots for a fund raising drive to celebrate the colour yellow, which is apparantly the colour for hospice.



As you can see bright colours are very important here and the inside of the hospice itself is just as bright and colourful.

Karen