Finding Light Photobook
Welshpool, Powys, United Kingdom
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Aim
I've compiled 7 years' worth of creative work to produce a luxury hardback photobook to share my story of hope & healing with the world.
I'm a man, and I'm trying to be vulnerable and open my heart to the world.
But I can't do it without your help and support!!
There are dreams many of us carry quietly in the deepest corners of our hearts, without ever daring to speak them aloud. Finding Light has been one of mine.
It began, as the most meaningful things do, with a single, courageous step into the unknown. In 2018, during one of the most painful and turbulent periods of my adult life, I walked to Pistyll Rhaeadr with a camera my sister had lent me that I didn't know how to use. What happened that afternoon set me on a path of self-discovery that changed my entire life. It is one that I am still walking today. The mystical Welsh landscape had opened itself to me at a time of my deepest need. In doing so, it opened me to my deepest self.
Finding Light is a book that emerged from the seven years that followed. It weaves together more than a hundred atmospheric photographs, primarily of the Welsh landscape: ancient oak woodlands, mountain lakes blanketed by mist, silver birch trees bathing in the morning light, with over twenty deeply personal essays, short stories, and poems. Together, they follow my journey of transformation from a childhood marked by fear and fragmentation, through the long, patient work of healing, towards wholeness, belonging, and a profound creative purpose.
These are not your typical landscape photographs in the conventional sense. They are self-portraits. Each one is a window into an emotional and spiritual state, captured in a moment of profound connection with Mother Nature. I wanted to create a book that shines a light into the darkness of what it means to be a human being; to offer something raw, honest, and real to anyone who has ever been lost in the darkness or felt as though they don't quite belong in this world.
An honest account of the journey so far...
Openness and honesty are at the heart of everything Finding Light stands for, so I want to share an insight into the journey to bring the book into the world.
When I announced the release of the book eighteen months ago, I naively assumed that the journey to print would be straightforward. I had built a 5000-strong following across my various social media platforms and had poured years of my life into the photographs and writing. I kept my phone close in the days that followed the announcement, anticipating the tidal wave of pre-order notifications.
The response, however, was total silence.
In the first six months, I received a total of four pre-orders.
Every ounce of rejection and unworthiness I had spent years working through came rushing to the surface. I wanted to delete the posts, forget the book entirely, and pretend I had never announced it. The ego that I'd spent considerable time taming through the creative process was thoroughly battered.
But I picked myself up, gritted my teeth, and kept going. I appeared on world-renowned photography podcasts, spoke at camera clubs, displayed the book at my Finding Light exhibition at Plas Glyn y Weddw on the Llŷn Peninsula, where it was seen by an estimated 20,000 people, and continued to share the story wherever I could. Pre-orders have grown tenfold over the past year or so. But I am still some way from the target needed to send the files to the printers.
Here's a statement from Plas Glyn y Weddw, the gallery that hosted my solo exhibition in 2025:
‘‘Finding Light brings together a series of atmospheric photographs of the Welsh landscape, accompanied by intimate nature writing by artist and writer Brad Carr.
This collection weaves together image and written word as a deeply personal response to Brad’s experiences of both external and internal landscapes. Through these evocative and ethereal pieces, he invites the audience into his journey — one of transformation and discovery — offering insight into the restorative power of being in Nature.
Described by the artist as ‘self-portraits,’ the photographs represent his emotional state at the time of their creation. They provide a simultaneous view of both the inner and outer world, moving between expansive vistas of wild landscapes and intimate studies of ancient trees and mystical woodland scenes. Each piece tells a unique story, capturing moments of reflection, solace, and connection.’'
Not long ago, I was lying with my partner Darcia when she picked up the sample copy of the book and began to look through it. "Oh, that's beautiful," she said, looking up at me. "Where was that?" I was unable to be fully present, as I was feeling quietly resentful of the project and of myself for the difficulty it had brought. I answered her reluctantly. She asked again about another photograph, and I shut her down.
She closed the book, put it away, and turned to her phone instead.
The wave of guilt that followed stayed with me for the next few days. As I reflected, I quickly realised the resentment I had allowed to build was not really towards the book or towards the world. It was towards myself, for beginning to give up on something I knew, in the deepest corners of my heart, truly mattered.
That experience rekindled the fire in me. I cannot give up on this dream!
Why this book matters, and why I need your help...
I am a big believer that the bigger the dream, the stronger the resistance. And this dream has met with considerable resistance. But in the deepest corners of my heart, I know that Finding Light exists for a powerful reason: as an offering to anyone who has ever searched for healing, for stillness, for a sense of purpose and belonging in the natural world.
My work has been published internationally in On Landscape, Outdoor Photography, and International Therapist. I have spoken about photography as a healing practice to thousands of people across the UK. The Finding Light exhibition reached an estimated 20,000 visitors. The book contains a foreword by Professor David Watkins, ex-harpist of the National Welsh Orchestra. It exists in two editions: a signed Standard Edition and a Collector's Edition, which includes a signed limited-edition fine art print.
Without reaching the required number of pre-orders, this book cannot go to print.
Which is why I am asking for your help.
If this story has moved you, if you have ever found a sense of belonging and solace in the natural world, if you believe that art has the power to heal, then please consider supporting this creative campaign. A donation, a pre-order, a share with someone you feel might connect with this work, a recommendation to a friend: each of these gestures will go a long way towards helping me bring my dream into reality and make the world a better place.
Helping to establish a purpose-driven social enterprise...
Finding Light was never intended to be another photography photobook that gathers dust on a shelf. From the very beginning, it was conceived as the opening chapter of something much larger. It turns out this 'something' is a purpose-driven social enterprise, called Finding Light, whose purpose is to bring the healing power of creativity and the natural world to those who need it most.
The mission at the heart of Finding Light is to work intimately with others on their own journeys towards wholeness, healing, and belonging.
I have come to believe that creativity is one of the most powerful medicines available to us. It provides a genuine path towards self-awareness and healing, and offers us a deeper sense of purpose and belonging in the world.
The camera, the pen, the paintbrush: none of these is a luxury. Creativity should be accessible to everyone. For many people, in the right hands and the right safe, non-judgmental environment, they are indeed lifelines.
A portion of the proceeds from Finding Light will go directly towards helping to establish this social enterprise at a time when humanity is in desperate need of healing, reconnection, and a collective sense of purpose. The proceeds will directly fund workshops and creative sessions designed to reach people who are struggling, isolated, or simply searching for a way back to themselves. My vision is to cultivate spaces where people feel genuinely safe to open up, to feel the depths of their emotions, and to create with purpose: spaces where hearts can break so that light can enter.
These are healing spaces I have already cultivated over the past 18 months. Here is what others have had to say about them:
‘‘I have learnt so much through these sessions, things about myself and the people around me that I never took notice of. I have also been pulled closer and closer to the beauty around me through every session. You have given me an opportunity to grow in so many ways. You’ve also given me a chance to practice my photography and my creative writing. I never thought I’d be sitting here today with a book full of poems and songs, and a camera filled with not only beautiful pictures, but beautiful memories.’’
- Alix, Creative Workshop Attendee
‘‘Brad created such a safe, supportive space with a strong focus on self-expression. He brought out the best in the young people, encouraging them to open up, share, and support each other in a way that was genuinely beautiful to witness. His approach was warm, respectful, and inspiring, and it was clear that the young people felt completely comfortable in his presence.
What stood out most was how naturally Brad built trust – several of the young people even mentioned how much they appreciated the atmosphere he created, and how easy it was to express themselves honestly around him.’’
- GISDA Staff
This story has been my own experience. The ancient Welsh landscape, and the creative practice it introduced me to, did not simply make me a better photographer. It made me a more present, more compassionate, and more whole and integrated human being. I want to find ways to offer that same transformation to others. The release of this book is fundamental for my mission to do that.
To support this cause, you can do so with the following pledges:
- Digital eBook versions of Finding Light are available for a pledge of £25.
- Printed standard editions of Finding Light are available for pre-order for £45. The first 100 Standard Editions will be individually signed.
- Printed collector's editions offer your choice of an accompanying A3 limited-edition print for £125. 100 available. Each book and print will be signed.
- Premium experience #1, designed for fellow photographers, offers a standard edition and online portfolio review for £125.
- Premium experience #2, designed for fellow photographers, offers a collector's edition and online portfolio review for £175.
- Premium experience #3, designed for fellow photographers, offers a standard edition and a half-day of private 1:1 tuition in Snowdonia for £200.
- Premium experience #4, designed for fellow photographers, offers a collector's edition and a half-day of private 1:1 tuition in Snowdonia for £250.
All pledges qualify for free UK shipping. For international orders, shipping costs will need to be paid separately. I will contact you directly to arrange this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my story. It means more than I know how to express. Please share this page with others and help me bring my creative dream into reality.
Yours, in service to the spirit of nature,
Brad Carr
Learn more about Finding Light
Interview on The Photowalk Podcast (listen from ~24:00)
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 25th July 2026 at 10:51am