Rheumatoid Arthritis Documentary

chrisc

Hi All,

My name is Chris Collins and I have been suffering with Ankylosing Spondylitis now for approx 4 years. I am a photographer based in the West Midlands and Gloucestershire area and I am currently trying to create a photographic documentary on what its like to live with rhuematoid arthritis. One thing I realised upon my own diagnosis is despite the fact that we all know someone that suffers with it we rarely now what it can be like to live with, which can often lead to lots of late nights filled with thoughts of dread. I'm looking to put together a story that shows the struggles we can have living with arthritis but at the same time show how life doesnt stop upon diagnosis.

If anyone would be interested in finding out more please post on here and we can talk more in depth about the project.

Thank you for your time and congratulations and creating what seems like an incredibly supportive online community.

Please feel free to take a look at my photography at http://c0llins.blogspot.com/ to gain an understanding of my photographic style. I look forward to hopefully hearing from some of you soon.

Chris

chile168

Hi Chris and welcome,

Sorry to hear that you're suffering with AS. Congratulations on your photographs, they are great.

I think you have a good idea and wish you all the best with it. I often think that professional (medical) need more educating. By that I mean in how they deal and talk to patients about their worries and more explanation on symptoms rather than just handing out a leaflet. I think leaflets are good because once you get over the initial shock then it's easier to digest the information. More empathy.

Are you going to be showing pictures as a broad spectrum of living with arthritis? What do you intend to do with the pictures / story?

Eve

indigo

Photographs are are excellent.

Congratulations on turning the negative ( no pun intended ) influence
of your ailment into something so positive.......

Great that you are sharing and involving other people from all walks
of life.

Best wishes for the project

---

and the future.

Indigo

suncatcher

I enjoyed looking at the pictures and recognise some of them. I live in the midlands. It is nice someone is highlighting how we live thanks for posting will look out for your work from joanne

chrisc

Firstly I would like to thank you all for such a kind response to me and my work. It is wonderful to know that people are enjoying my work.

The best way for me to begin to explain my project would be to tell you a bit about myself first. I am 27 years old and currently in my final year studying as a mature student for a degree in Documentary Photography. I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in 2005 and at the time I was an office worker for a major energy company in the West Midlands. After researching the disease I decided that if this was going to be something I was going to live with for the rest of my life I was going to make sure the rest of my time was going to be spent doing something I enjoyed. So I left my job and decided to re-educate myself and start a career in photography. Rheumatoid Arthritis has always been common in my family my grandfather suffers terribly both with the disease and the side effects of the barrage of medication he has to take. I have been photographing his condition for the past two years and now I am looking to expand this into a bigger project that casts its eye further afield and looks at how others deal with their situation.

I have uploaded some of the photographs of my grandfather on to my blog today so you can get an idea of how the project is looking at the moment. For this project I am looking to explore the life of people diagnosed with arthritis, the high points as well as the low points. I want to look at the effects it has on daily life, we all have our little routines that make this situation bearable, these are the things that I want to observe. As well as this we also all have our flare ups, the days when we wish we could just cut that part of our body out, if we only had the strength; it is important that I document this too. But equally as important, if not more so I want see how arthritis hasn’t affected our lives. I know in myself this disease has made me appreciate what’s important in life ten times more than I did before my diagnosis. We still work hard and we still play hard and it’s important that that message comes through.

In response to your question about my intentions for the work my first intention is to use this project as my major project for use in my degree show where it will be exhibited. I also intend to publish the work as an independent book to be used in my portfolio of work. If the work is a great success I would consider entering the work into national photography competitions such as The Observer Prize, with consent from the people photographed of course.

I hope this has answered some of your questions, I feel I am starting to waffle

Please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know. If you are interested in taking part let me know and we could arrange to talk properly over a cup of coffee. I would love to hear from some of you soon.

Thanks again.

Chris.

chile168

Hi Chris,

Happy that you are doing something that you have a passion for. I think it's really brave to change careers specially at the time of your diagnosis. I like your positive spirit yet realistic about your illness and the daily struggles you may face.

Like you my body may struggle but my spirit keeps fighting. I would not mind taking part but Im too far away from West Midlands.

A photograph can tell a story but it's limited and it can't talk - maybe Im mistaken?? Are you also planning on doing a short film/documentary about those who take part to give a bigger and fuller picture of Arthritis? Sorry for asking so many questions.

I think the exhibition is good, something I would certainly look at. Publishing also good because as previously said people do need educating in this area. I think by also showing that life goes on and doesn't stop can be a positve for people newly diagnosed. It gives hope and that is what we all need.

Eve x

chrisc

Hi Eve,

Thank you again for responding the feedback is fantastic. First I wanted to let you know I have no distance limits on this project and I would be willing to travel to shoot this isnt an issue limited to the West Midlands and Gloucestershire so my photography shouldnt be either.

As far as images not telling a full story, I do believe that quite often images are more adequate than words to telll the story it opens the story to everyone, we all have our mental associations for things we see and this visual interpretation is universal with no cultural or language barriers. However when it becomes a story about people it is important to me that the story isnt told solely by my voice. I do plan on incorporating quotes and stories from the people in the piece of work. The text that will be included will be as much a part of the image as the photo itself. There is also the possiblities that I will make this into a multimedia project and use audio samples of interviews to accompany the photography.