For John Arnison, the Yorkshire Dales have been a source of solace and salvation - a place where he can escape the darkness of depression and find healing. Since he began venturing out into the countryside at night 25 years ago, photographing waterfalls has become an integral part of his therapy.
The process of capturing these natural wonders is almost meditative for Arnison. He finds that researching, driving to, and spending hours perfecting each shot allows him to focus on what's outside his head. As he wanders through the darkness, the only sound being the rustling of leaves or the distant hooting of owls, he feels a sense of catharsis.
The waterfalls themselves have become precious to Arnison - a symbol of hope and renewal. He keeps all his negatives in a fireproof case at home, cherishing each one as a tangible representation of his journey. "They're so precious to me," he says. "If anything happened to those, I couldn't recreate them."
For Arnison, photography has been a game-changer. It's helped him cope with the anxiety and ADHD that often accompany depression. The solitude of his nighttime excursions allows him to tune out the distractions of the world and simply be present.
As he embarks on this 25-year journey, Arnison is already thinking about the next chapter - publishing his work as a book, possibly accompanied by poetry from northern writers. He hopes that others will find solace in his photographs, just as he has found solace in them.
At 63, Arnison still feels invigorated and creative, with no plans to retire anytime soon. However, he acknowledges that there will come a time when he can't continue trampling over moors alone by nightfall. For now, though, the Yorkshire Dales remain his sanctuary - a place where he can find peace and healing in the darkness of the night.
The process of capturing these natural wonders is almost meditative for Arnison. He finds that researching, driving to, and spending hours perfecting each shot allows him to focus on what's outside his head. As he wanders through the darkness, the only sound being the rustling of leaves or the distant hooting of owls, he feels a sense of catharsis.
The waterfalls themselves have become precious to Arnison - a symbol of hope and renewal. He keeps all his negatives in a fireproof case at home, cherishing each one as a tangible representation of his journey. "They're so precious to me," he says. "If anything happened to those, I couldn't recreate them."
For Arnison, photography has been a game-changer. It's helped him cope with the anxiety and ADHD that often accompany depression. The solitude of his nighttime excursions allows him to tune out the distractions of the world and simply be present.
As he embarks on this 25-year journey, Arnison is already thinking about the next chapter - publishing his work as a book, possibly accompanied by poetry from northern writers. He hopes that others will find solace in his photographs, just as he has found solace in them.
At 63, Arnison still feels invigorated and creative, with no plans to retire anytime soon. However, he acknowledges that there will come a time when he can't continue trampling over moors alone by nightfall. For now, though, the Yorkshire Dales remain his sanctuary - a place where he can find peace and healing in the darkness of the night.
Arnison's nighttime photography sessions are literally like meditation for him... I mean, who wouldn't want to spend hours driving around in the dark and getting misty pics of waterfalls? 
It's amazing how something as simple as nature can be so therapeutic. I'm not saying I'd go out into the woods alone at night, but if it works for this guy, why not, right? 
And 63 is still pretty young to be rocking a solo nighttime photography thing... maybe I'll have to try that when I get old and grey 
man's got some serious skills with that photography thingy, i mean it's not just about clicking pics, he's like literally finding solace in nature at 3 am lol. that's some deep stuff right there 
and his negatives are kept safe like they're precious artifacts? fireproof case is where it's at 
this is so inspiring! i mean, who knew that photography could be like therapy for some people? 
. He's just trying to make himself feel better by capturing pretty pictures of waterfalls. And what's with the fireproof case? Like, what if someone steals his negatives? That's just a lot of emotional baggage.
. The fact that venturing out at night to capture waterfalls helps him focus on something other than his depression is just incredible 
. I love how he's already thinking about sharing his work with others and bringing solace to those who might be struggling too 
. It's inspiring to see someone in their 60s staying creative and determined, even when life gets tough 
. Maybe we can all learn a thing or two from John's positive approach to mental health?
. I love how he cherishes each shot like it's precious to him 
. It's amazing how something that can seem so soloistic can actually be super therapeutic 
. Can't wait to see his book come out & hope others find solace in his pics too 
And have you noticed how convenient it is for him to start thinking about publishing a book now? That's like trying to sell us on some new-age waterfalls of inspiration. I'm not saying he's in on something shady, but... those negatives are definitely valuable.
. But I guess it's cool that photography helps him with depression and all 
... 25 years of doing this is crazy... does anyone else have a hobby or activity that brings them peace like this?
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, like they're precious little treasures to him 
. I can understand why - each one's like a memory of his journey, right? 
It's amazing how photography can be such a powerful tool for healin' 
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. The thing is, mental health is still super stigmatized I think its awesome that he's found something that helps him cope with depression, anxiety and ADHD but also a bit worrying that his journey might be cut short because of old age 
. As for John, I'm totally rooting for him – 63 and still going strong is no joke! 
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John Arnison is literally my spirit animal lol 25 yrs of venturin out into the wilderness with his camera as his best friend... its like he's found a way to heal & cope w/ depression in a way thats relatable & inspiring. i love how solace & salvation are synonyms for those beautiful waterfalls 
. And its awesome that he's thinking of publishing his work, possibly with some poetry from northern writers... I think that would be a great way to share his passion with others and maybe even help them find their own solace in nature.