Stressed out? Take a walk on the wild side....

We live in a stressful modern world with busy jobs, demanding home lives and during tough economical times. Walking is obviously great exercise in itself but for me it's also a fantastic way of chilling out at the weekend, the freedom of wide open spaces, fresh air and the whole 'back to nature' thing always appeals.

This picture was probably the first creative photo I took around nine years ago. I was going through very tough times both at work and at home, things were starting to crumble, something had to change. Long story short, I took nearly six months off work under the guidance of my Doctor and was treated for stress. She advised me to engage in low key activities and when I explained about my budding interest in photography, Doctor Marsh (who I thank to this day) encouraged me to combine walking and photography and this was the slow road to recovery as well the start of my passion for taking creative pictures. Here are some of those early photos:

Clumber Park 'Solitude'

Clumber Park 'Tranquility'

Looking back, I can see how the look, mood and titles of these photos reflected my feelings and needs at the time. Photography started to become the creative outlet and of self expression I desperately needed, the passion continued to grow.

So next time you are feeling a little stressed, grab your camera and head out! Take the kids with you, the dog, your partner, go to the woods, the park, the city, wherever. Just get out there and start capturing memories you just may treasure for the rest of your life. Good look and have fun!