Taking up photography has provided purpose to Angi Wallace’s days as she deals with the challenges of a long-term health condition.
Angi, who lives in North Shields, worked as a nurse and led an active outdoors life of hiking and climbing before being diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) The condition limits her mobility but the camera she was given as a Christmas present has been key to her developing a positive frame of mind.
Her growing expertise, which partly focuses on her love of nature and plants, has seen her carry off a batch of awards in prestigious competitions over the last four years. Her latest successes have come in the International Garden Photographer of the Year awards, which are supported by the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew.
Read more: North Shields regeneration scheme up for award
Angi was the winner in the competition’s Still Life category with a study of wild flowers and fruits. She was also highly commended for her picture of sea holly and commended for her image of sunflowers.
There was highly commended recognition for a Japanese anemone picture from her garden in the beauty of Plants section and also in the Abstract category for her Fantasy Garden study from a visit on her mobility scooter to the National Trust’s Wallington estate in Northumberland. She has also won the National Photographic Society’s Photographer of the Year title for the last three years.
And she was first in the flowers section of the World Photography organisation awards and among other awards was taking first and second places in the Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year in 2022.
Angi said: “ A lot of my photography is produced from home as the disability of a long-term illness means I don’t get out much. I use a mini studio set up in the dining room simply because my health does not allow for energy demanding activities. But this does not stop me from producing beautiful images.
“I started with flowers from my garden and it just developed from there. Now I have a passion for photography and rarely a day goes by without me taking photographs, editing them, or planning my next ones.
“Not being able to work is horrible, but photography enables you to lose yourself in what you are doing, and it’s a positive to be doing something which is creative and productive. The positive aspect is that it shows what can be achieve with an illness.”
People can see a selection of Angi’s work at angiwallacephotography.com
READ NEXT:
