One Set of Challenges for Another by Dave Newton
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Dave Newton is an international award-winning professional photographer and filmmaker and represents EIZO as a ColorEdge Ambassador. For 2022 we will be following his journey on the road as he travels the world with his family, Jess, Isla, and of course Otis in his recently converted truck!
One Set of Challenges for Another
There seems to be a belief among many people we meet and talk to, that van-life (or in our case overland-life) is the cure for all of life’s challenges. People imagine that moving into a home on wheels means worries, stresses and strains evaporate away and you’re left in some form of utopian existence, free of the menial worries that plague daily life.
The reality is that it couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, some things are easier but other things are harder. It is essentially switching one set of challenges for another.
Two big challenges this month will be familiar to all of you reading - firstly finding time to get actual work done, not to mention finding the headspace for it when there is always something to be done or somewhere to be driven to. And secondly, dealing with COVID.
As we meandered our way south from Scotland, we took the East side of England to drop into Bamburgh in Northumberland. Like Scotland, it’s a wonderful place but we only had a couple of days there because we needed to move on further south ready for my first trip to Ireland.
So far, so good, but once I returned from Dublin, things began to unravel - while I was away, Jess and Isla had caught covid and were isolating themselves in the truck. With such a small space, there was no way I could isolate myself too, so I took my chances. Fortunately for Isla, it seemed pretty minor and she was over it in a day or two. Jess and I however were somewhat less fortunate and spent a couple of days feeling rather sorry for ourselves and another 10-12 days not going anywhere, locked away like hermits in our travelling home while we continued to test positive. It did rather put a dent in me being able to go out shooting or indeed travel to Ireland for workshops I had planned, as I didn’t want to risk passing it on to anyone else.
Photographically I kept very close to the truck and concentrated on what we had immediately around us - Red Kites, Robins, a fabulously large moon with clear skies, and of course, Otis!
Now we’re all clear of covid, it’s full steam ahead as I prepare for a 6-week trip that sees me begin in the USA before heading to Guam, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Jordan, Uzbekistan the UAE, Sicily and back to the US. Jess, Isla and Otis will be safely parked in Bebe in Norfolk for the duration and will spend the time visiting family and friends.
So next time around, there won’t be much of Bebe, but there will be a lot of everywhere else, so stay tuned as it’s about to get very exotic around here!
If you have questions, don’t be shy, feel free to reach out to me either through EIZO or through our social media channels:
@globaltraces on Instagram and Facebook, or www.globaltraces.co.uk for a website.
If you want to see more of my work specifically, then @photopositive (Insta and FB) or www.photopositive.co.uk will get you there.
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