Thank you for sharing your gifts, journey and heart through this book. As an admirer of your photography and more recently your writing, I am now a fan of the person behind the art. Thank you for sharing your story, the raw emotion of your struggles and being real.
This final chapter has had me in tears both for you and myself. Your self-awareness and ability to articulate it so beautifully is just one of the reasons. I’ve always admired your work and now even more so, knowing that little bit more about what you went through to achieve what you have. I hope you soon learn to love yourself again and not be so hard on yourself and wish you every happiness in your future. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you. Love and peace
"They were taken to fill a void, yet they themselves are the void." –
Charlie, the amount of self-awareness, inner silence, suspension of self-deception and empathy that's required to rise above all the pain, despondency, confusion and mental clutter to arrive at the peace and understanding that you have is staggering, and to go one step further and share it with the world so lucidly, honestly and beautifully takes another level of courage and energy, my friend! For the first ever time I feel like I've actually got to know a person behind his iconic photographs, without ever having met him, and love him all the more for it!
That I'm moved to tears by this memoir series and this cathartic end to it is a testament to how closely I could relate, and how realistically it speaks for everyone who's gone through a similar struggle. Your every chapter has been a truth bomb – on both the subject and the photographer!
Your revelation on diminishing humanity by stripping it of all attributes that make us human gutted me like a punch, as, incidentally, that's a realization I've myself had recently as well. For after all, as you've written so wonderfully, whether it's with other animals or our own species, "...the line that separates us, is the line that ruins us." – this is so spiritual and yet so simple that I almost laughed out loud in joy on reading it! I don't think I'll forget this closing line ever!
Thank you for taking us along on this journey; it has humanized environmental/photojournalistic/wildlife photographers and shown yet again that regardless of one's profession, even if one is fortunate enough to be "pursuing one's passion", success, contentment and happiness is a state of mind, and yet, the short route to it often becomes the long and arduous story of our lives.
More power to you and hoping to see much more, as your writing is the worthiest contribution to the collection of shareable human wisdom that we call literature!
Thanks Charlie, to say I’ve enjoyed your book doesn’t do it justice, it’s been a revelatory read, I sincerely hope you’re recovering and I’m sure you’ll get back to photography and continue to give us glimpses into worlds we don’t ordinarily see.
Thanks for releasing these chapters on here - echoing a lot of the comments in sharing a similar appreciation for your realness. It's been refreshing to read.
I'm glad you're better! I just re-read Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell, as I'm visiting Skye again soon. I liked your story better. I hope Molly's doing all right these days, as well as yourself.
Thank you for sharing this. It was a captivating, funny, heartbreaking thing to read. I appreciate your honesty, your vulnerability, and your creativity and willingness to risk yourself to convey something of the hopeless mess and beauty of this world.
Hi Charlie , From our brief encounters in East Africa reading about your obviously emotional journey it cannot have been an easy time for you; I was wondering throughout this period how you were, now we know.
I’m highly impressed by your ability to express your emotions in print, you have a talent, let’s catch up somewhere.
With all you’ve confessed, you horrible, nasty, selfish example of our species, you remain my hero Charlie. Maybe it’s because of the brilliance of your writing but I believe it’s more than that, much more. Though I can’t nail what and right now don’t wish to.
Thank you for the phenomenal read, and incredible writing 🖤 it has been a privilege to follow along.
Thank you for sharing your gifts, journey and heart through this book. As an admirer of your photography and more recently your writing, I am now a fan of the person behind the art. Thank you for sharing your story, the raw emotion of your struggles and being real.
This final chapter has had me in tears both for you and myself. Your self-awareness and ability to articulate it so beautifully is just one of the reasons. I’ve always admired your work and now even more so, knowing that little bit more about what you went through to achieve what you have. I hope you soon learn to love yourself again and not be so hard on yourself and wish you every happiness in your future. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you. Love and peace
"They were taken to fill a void, yet they themselves are the void." –
Charlie, the amount of self-awareness, inner silence, suspension of self-deception and empathy that's required to rise above all the pain, despondency, confusion and mental clutter to arrive at the peace and understanding that you have is staggering, and to go one step further and share it with the world so lucidly, honestly and beautifully takes another level of courage and energy, my friend! For the first ever time I feel like I've actually got to know a person behind his iconic photographs, without ever having met him, and love him all the more for it!
That I'm moved to tears by this memoir series and this cathartic end to it is a testament to how closely I could relate, and how realistically it speaks for everyone who's gone through a similar struggle. Your every chapter has been a truth bomb – on both the subject and the photographer!
Your revelation on diminishing humanity by stripping it of all attributes that make us human gutted me like a punch, as, incidentally, that's a realization I've myself had recently as well. For after all, as you've written so wonderfully, whether it's with other animals or our own species, "...the line that separates us, is the line that ruins us." – this is so spiritual and yet so simple that I almost laughed out loud in joy on reading it! I don't think I'll forget this closing line ever!
Thank you for taking us along on this journey; it has humanized environmental/photojournalistic/wildlife photographers and shown yet again that regardless of one's profession, even if one is fortunate enough to be "pursuing one's passion", success, contentment and happiness is a state of mind, and yet, the short route to it often becomes the long and arduous story of our lives.
More power to you and hoping to see much more, as your writing is the worthiest contribution to the collection of shareable human wisdom that we call literature!
Thank you Charlie. It’s been an extraordinary read, visceral, compelling, admirable. I’ve learned so much. I’m grateful you have shared it. Onwards
Thanks Charlie, to say I’ve enjoyed your book doesn’t do it justice, it’s been a revelatory read, I sincerely hope you’re recovering and I’m sure you’ll get back to photography and continue to give us glimpses into worlds we don’t ordinarily see.
Thanks for releasing these chapters on here - echoing a lot of the comments in sharing a similar appreciation for your realness. It's been refreshing to read.
I'm glad you're better! I just re-read Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell, as I'm visiting Skye again soon. I liked your story better. I hope Molly's doing all right these days, as well as yourself.
Thank you for sharing this. It was a captivating, funny, heartbreaking thing to read. I appreciate your honesty, your vulnerability, and your creativity and willingness to risk yourself to convey something of the hopeless mess and beauty of this world.
Thank you for sharing your journey so beautifully, honestly and in such a touching way.
Wonderful raw read, thank you
Hi Charlie , From our brief encounters in East Africa reading about your obviously emotional journey it cannot have been an easy time for you; I was wondering throughout this period how you were, now we know.
I’m highly impressed by your ability to express your emotions in print, you have a talent, let’s catch up somewhere.
Mara Cherub
With all you’ve confessed, you horrible, nasty, selfish example of our species, you remain my hero Charlie. Maybe it’s because of the brilliance of your writing but I believe it’s more than that, much more. Though I can’t nail what and right now don’t wish to.
❤️
Thank you ♡