3 year ago today

I was at a station having breakfast at around 8.00 Easter Sunday, and I reached to my backpack to grab something, and that is when my whole world changed for me. I collapsed and could not get up, and was lighted to King’s College Hospital to be examined from top to toe, to find out why this has happened. It’s was FND, Functional Neurological Disorder I had never heard of it either.

3 years on I am wizzing my way via the Eurostar train to Amsterdam via Brussels and then on to The Hague to photograph the European wheelchair rugby championships 2025.

In my wildest dreams, I did not expect to do anything of this magnitude in my life, and as I look back at what I have achieved despite being disabled, it still amazes me to this day. Somehow I got myself out of the funk of depressed and being disabled and started The Disability Sports Network, it was done on a whim, and still don’t belive that through just a little few announcements and an outlay of £120 for a website, would lead me in this path to photograph disabled sports events. One thing that surprised me was that I had 30 visitors a day to my website from day 1, which I initially thought was a fluke, but no ,for the next 30-60 days the numbers were 30+ steady despite having very little content. It was an idea born out of a need for the disabled community. Today 3 years on its more like 6000+ per month.

I have worked hard, and asked if I could come along to various events to photograph it. So I have been to a lot of local grassroots events as well as the International blind games
Invictus games
The best of all so far was the Paralympics in Paris 2024.

I have now produced 2 magazines on “Disabled Sports” and written a book on my story from collaspe to the Paralympics.

Looking back at my photos and I see a definite and postive change in them. I now have a style, and clarity on how to show the athletes in front of me at their best on the world stage. I belive I am getting known quite well in this field now, as my work is consistent and never before has it been this way. In short inhave found my niche in photography at long last.

So the next 6 days are intense as I am photographing 16 games. Quite a schedule at least it’s all in the same place and my hotel is around 30 minutes or less from the venue and just a few meters from the beach where I can relax after a hard day of taking photos of around 800-1200 per game. Yes I really do take that many.

So how did I get to do what I really love? Basically there was a serious demand for this kind of photography, then as I was attending various events and lot and lots of networking. People are starting to see me as a serious photographer. With non disabled people and companies now starting to approach me to help me in various ways for the work I am doing. I set up the company as a non-profit so I have to give back to the community. Yes I can draw a wage when required and funds allow. But for me, giving back to the local grassroots community is one of the best pleasures I have ever had. I get welcomed as part of the “family”, so to speak, as no one had really done this on a professional level ever. So they are very grateful for what I offer to them.

So while I do not have any big time sponsors, still working on that, why don’t you become a sponsor or if you are a mobility or disabled led company buy some images from my vast collection to show what disabled people can do.

I am aiming for an exhibition later in the year and may know dates soon.

Below are my transparent price lists if you want me to photograph a game or event and or just buy some photos for your brochure/website/publicity to show sports in the limelight then I am the person to get in contact with.

I will be offering framed photos, single and multiple photos/frames, canvas prints and of course, single printed photographs. These will be available on my return from the games the Netherlands

My magazines and my book are available to buy from the online shop at www.thedisabilitysportsnetwork.com/shop

I cannot speculate on what will come next, let me go to the European wheelchair rugby championships this coming week and see what happens at that event and I will go from there.

This timeline will be full of photos from the wheelchair rugby next week. I hope you enjoy the photographs.

Thanks for being there for me.