Uploaded March 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
In this series I meet other photographers and individuals who have a story to tell. I travel around the country to hear these stories and talk about how creative pursuits like photography, and doing the things we love can play a great part in maintaining our own mental wellbeing.
1 in 4 people in the UK are affected by mental health issues but the stories are often hidden from view - the more we talk about these things the more normal it becomes, and the easier it is to get help and help ourselves.
In this video I meet Sylvia Slavin, a photographer based in Yorkshire. Tragically Sylvia's son John took his own life at the turn of 2018, and here we hear about how John had struggled with depression for most of his life, and how he had tried to mask it. Losing a child is a horrific thought for any parent, and even more unthinkable when it is to suicide.
Suicide amongst men between the ages of 20 and 49 is at crisis point. So many people who lead seemingly good and happy lives are suffering in silence and something needs to change.
To cope with grief Sylvia has always resorted to being active and creative, and her photography is a real example of this. It is a message and lesson for all to learn, as being creative is proven to help with mental health issues, and something that everyone should try, especially at those times when we feel helpless.
Thank you for listening to Sylvia's story.
justgiving.com/johnslavinsunflowerchallenge2018
#mentalhealth
#FocusOnMentalHealth
Follow Sylvia:
instagram.com/sylvia_slavin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mental Health Resources
nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines
time-to-change.org.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank me and support my channel by making a one off donation -- bit.ly/ThankDD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Workshops
bit.ly/WorkshopsWithDavid
Check me out in Instagram - instagram.com/daviddixonphotography
I'm on Twitter now too! -
twitter.com/dixondavidphoto
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below are links to my photography gear - they are affiliate links which means that if you go on to buy something I may get a very small commission paid to me by Amazon - you DO NOT pay any extra! :) - the small amount I do get from these links goes back into this channel, paying for the time and equipment needed to produce these videos. Thank you!
Tripod amzn.to/2o2snjR
Camera amzn.to/2obtjSy
L-Bracket amzn.to/2EFENrw
70-200mm lens amzn.to/2EJO81C
17-40mm lens amzn.to/2HgiBCN
50mm (nifty fifty) amzn.to/2F2gGkx
Holga Lens amzn.to/2Hhm4AX
Memory card holder amzn.to/2EIeHE8
Spare batteries - way cheaper than official Canon ones and do a decent job amzn.to/2sm8B2g
Backpack amzn.to/2p7kr20
Hiking backback amzn.to/2o8ulP8
Filter pouch amzn.to/2HiXyiX
Cable release - cheap as chips and faultless essential bit of kit amzn.to/2p7mpPR
Filter holder amzn.to/2oA8ZwU
10stop filter amzn.to/2plM1XM
ND grad set amzn.to/2plXMxm
Filming
Filmed with amzn.to/2tGdq7c (f1.4 for beautiful cinematic footage, and does 4k!)
To keep the frame rate consistent a variable ND filter is invaluable! amzn.to/2xpun8L
...stuck to my Lumix using: amzn.to/2z9sYHU
Lavlier mic amzn.to/2p7tM9W
Drone! amzn.to/2plTnu7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can also support this channel by subscribing on Patreon.
Click here to see my Patreon page - bit.ly/DavidsPatreon
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this series I meet other photographers and individuals who have a story to tell. I travel around the country to hear these stories and talk about how creative pursuits like photography, and doing the things we love can play a great part in maintaining our own mental wellbeing.
1 in 4 people in the UK are affected by mental health issues but the stories are often hidden from view - the more we talk about these things the more normal it becomes, and the easier it is to get help and help ourselves.
In this video I meet Sylvia Slavin, a photographer based in Yorkshire. Tragically Sylvia's son John took his own life at the turn of 2018, and here we hear about how John had struggled with depression for most of his life, and how he had tried to mask it. Losing a child is a horrific thought for any parent, and even more unthinkable when it is to suicide.
Suicide amongst men between the ages of 20 and 49 is at crisis point. So many people who lead seemingly good and happy lives are suffering in silence and something needs to change.
To cope with grief Sylvia has always resorted to being active and creative, and her photography is a real example of this. It is a message and lesson for all to learn, as being creative is proven to help with mental health issues, and something that everyone should try, especially at those times when we feel helpless.
Thank you for listening to Sylvia's story.
justgiving.com/johnslavinsunflowerchallenge2018
#mentalhealth
#FocusOnMentalHealth
Follow Sylvia:
instagram.com/sylvia_slavin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mental Health Resources
nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines
time-to-change.org.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank me and support my channel by making a one off donation -- bit.ly/ThankDD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Workshops
bit.ly/WorkshopsWithDavid
Check me out in Instagram - instagram.com/daviddixonphotography
I'm on Twitter now too! -
twitter.com/dixondavidphoto
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below are links to my photography gear - they are affiliate links which means that if you go on to buy something I may get a very small commission paid to me by Amazon - you DO NOT pay any extra! :) - the small amount I do get from these links goes back into this channel, paying for the time and equipment needed to produce these videos. Thank you!
Tripod amzn.to/2o2snjR
Camera amzn.to/2obtjSy
L-Bracket amzn.to/2EFENrw
70-200mm lens amzn.to/2EJO81C
17-40mm lens amzn.to/2HgiBCN
50mm (nifty fifty) amzn.to/2F2gGkx
Holga Lens amzn.to/2Hhm4AX
Memory card holder amzn.to/2EIeHE8
Spare batteries - way cheaper than official Canon ones and do a decent job amzn.to/2sm8B2g
Backpack amzn.to/2p7kr20
Hiking backback amzn.to/2o8ulP8
Filter pouch amzn.to/2HiXyiX
Cable release - cheap as chips and faultless essential bit of kit amzn.to/2p7mpPR
Filter holder amzn.to/2oA8ZwU
10stop filter amzn.to/2plM1XM
ND grad set amzn.to/2plXMxm
Filming
Filmed with amzn.to/2tGdq7c (f1.4 for beautiful cinematic footage, and does 4k!)
To keep the frame rate consistent a variable ND filter is invaluable! amzn.to/2xpun8L
...stuck to my Lumix using: amzn.to/2z9sYHU
Lavlier mic amzn.to/2p7tM9W
Drone! amzn.to/2plTnu7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can also support this channel by subscribing on Patreon.
Click here to see my Patreon page - bit.ly/DavidsPatreon
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
