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Ross Lloyd
@ross.noire
Photographer based in the UK
It was the time of the last major pandemic that my story begins—the infamous Swine Flu. I was 13 years old, and bizarrely enough, my friend and I were the only two who managed to catch the virus in the entire county. What happened next changed my life and the path I would go on forever.
Unfortunately, I had a horrendous reaction to the virus that left me paralysed from the waist down for two years. This paralysation was caused by a horrible phenomenon called transverse myelitis. Now, this may seem, and in fact, it was, a bad time in my life, but being cooped up in my house all day instilled in me a desire to live an extraordinary life going forwards. I began studying graphic design and eventually became really proficient at using Adobe Photoshop.
"This was when I had a creative brain awakening."
I realized that I derived a lot of enjoyment from seeing something visually pleasing; I would never have pondered on this had it not been for catching that awful virus. I started making aesthetically satisfying YouTube banners for YouTubers, which then developed into designing logos for companies, musicians, and sports teams. I kept learning, developing, and improving for the entire period that I was confined in my house as I had nothing else to do.
"Then as I turned 15, I was given a new sense of life as I started to recover from this illness."
I had been bed-bound for so many months, so I wanted to fully utilise my body’s mobility to its fullest. Parkour and freerunning were first on the agenda. My friends were eager to help film me running; we had a great time experimenting with different shots, perspectives, and angles. Through my camera and parkour, I was able to mentally recover from that brutal time I had at such a tender age. And that’s why I’ve never put it down since.
I’m lucky enough to still go on holiday with my family, usually twice a year. When I was 20 years old, we flew all the way to Canada. This was the trip that really ignited my passion for landscape photography. At the start of our journey, I stumbled across a well-known photographer named Jannik Obenhoff. Something about how he captured such dramatic landscapes in such a subtle and delicate way really resonated with me.
I found his work at the perfect time because we were in Canada, which is one of the most scenic countries in the world for mountainous landscapes. I had packed my camera in preparation for this adventure, so I was hoping to capture something special.
"This single trip became the catalyst to my entire, eventful photographic journey."
Photography is one of the only ways I can really express myself and my creativity, which encouraged me to study at Goldsmiths University. It’s an alternative university and focuses on the art and physical expression of media rather than the theory. Of course, I revelled in the opportunity to develop and progress my artistic ideologies. However, I discovered that even in an “open” and “alternative” university, I was somehow still restricted. I felt as if I had to stick to strict parameters to get good grades. Instead, I would have preferred to develop my creativity alone without the opinion of a professor telling me how to shoot a particular shot.
Without a doubt, I’m inspired by some of the phenomenal photographer’s work I’ve seen. Still, it’s impossible to truly copy someone else’s style. And that’s not what I would want to do anyway.
What really inspires me and has helped me hone my own unique style is travelling; to get to experience new worlds and cultures so far removed from my own. And it feels like I’m always walking around like a wide-eyed child experiencing new and exciting things. I love exploring rare places in the hope of seeing something I’ve never seen before. And whenever I find that, I always make sure to take a photo!
"My aim is to see everything, or at least as much as I can before it's no longer possible."
This desire for experiencing everything in this marvellous world is why I was feeling hopeless in the summer of 2019. I had just been made redundant and had no money to go travelling. It was so frustrating! I had many ideas whizzing around in my head, yet I couldn’t execute any of them as I didn’t have the funds to travel. I felt like I had no purpose in the world anymore. And I was simply existing for the sake of it.
It was during this time that my girlfriend surprised me with something that jolted me out of self-pity. One morning, she had packed all my camera equipment, charged all my batteries, and cleared all my data, ready for a big shoot. She’d decided we needed to go on a little adventure to get my creative juices flowing again. And she knew this trip to Durdle Door would do just that. It was a good 5-hour drive from my house but well worth it.
When we arrived, we decided to take some golden hour shots. And because it was so late when we were finished, we thought it would be best to sleep overnight in the car. That would enable us to wake up early the next morning and capture the best light of the day with no one to disturb us. So we woke up all hazy-eyed around 4:30am and started walking to the beach, which is where I thought we might be able to take some good shots. As we arrived, we were overwhelmed by how peaceful it was. I set up my tripod and just sat there, waiting for the light to pass over the ridge onto Durdle Door itself. That was where I took my most memorable shot.
"It wasn't necessarily the magnificence of the image itself but what it represents to me. It was about me, living the life I wanted to lead again."
Experiences like that are what have changed my life. The single most significant driving force in my life and career, though, has always been when I recovered from that terrible illness all those years ago. It totally changed my outlook on life. And since that period, I’ve said yes to every challenge and to every opportunity. You will see that reflected in my photography.
I’m fortunate because I’ve always had three loyal friends who would come with me regardless of the challenges or opportunity. And no matter how dangerous or crazy it might seem. Having people who support you like that and who can constructively criticise your work is vital if you want to improve. I’m always in competition with myself, and having those around to “coach” me or just give me great advice is extremely valuable when pursuing your dreams.
Of course, there will always be blockades along the way to your destination. But never let others tell you what is possible. At school, I always had a tough time with the other kids. I never really fit into a crowd and was left alone most of the time. It led me to believe I couldn’t really amount to anything in life. I’ve even been told that by other students. But if you have a dream, then you need to get out there and go for it, listening to yourself rather than anyone else. This is what leads to feeling truly fulfilled and accomplished.
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