Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
A man walks down a city street. He stops to look carefully at a beautiful building. He looks at the light. Then, he takes out his camera. He begins to take photographs. The pictures from his camera show the building in a new way. They show the energy, design and look of the building. They show how the building belongs in the city.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight is on this photographer. His name is Keith Hern and he has used his skills to show beauty and hope through personal struggle.
Voice 1
Keith Hern lives near the city of London, in England. Now he is an expert photographer. But, he has not always taken such good pictures. For many years, Keith's job was selling things for large businesses. But when he was about forty years old, his job ended. His company did not need him. And he needed to find something else to do.
Voice 2
On a trip to Australia, Keith went to an art show. There he saw pictures by the photographer Peter Lik. Lik mainly takes pictures of the natural environment. His pictures affected Keith emotionally. They made him want to become a photographer. But at that time, Keith was not very good at taking pictures.
Voice 1
So Keith began to learn. He read many books about photography. He also had an old friend that was a photographer. Keith asked his friend to teach him. Keith also experimented with his camera. And little by little, Keith developed his skills. Soon he had a collection of pictures to show people. He began to send this collection to interior designers. These designers decorate the inside of houses. They choose things like paint colours, art, and tables to make the houses look beautiful. The interior designers liked his work! And they started to buy pictures from Keith.
Voice 2
Keith also showed his photographs at a local art gallery - a place where artists sell their art work. People began to ask Keith to take more pictures. His new business was growing, and he was doing something he loved.
Voice 1
Keith enjoys taking many different kinds of pictures, in many different places. He loves to travel. And his skills behind the camera gave him a reason to do so. Keith has travelled to many countries, including Zimbabwe. Often, people are surprised that he has travelled to this African country. It has recently experienced serious economic and political problems. But Keith travelled there to take pictures. The purpose of these pictures was to encourage other people to visit the country. Keith's pictures show Zimbabwe's natural beauty.
Voice 2
Keith also likes to take pictures of common places and things. However, he likes to photograph them in different ways. For example, he may try to take a picture from above or below an object. Keith says he enjoys taking difficult and different pictures - such as taking a picture when there is only a little light.
Voice 1
Keith has taken pictures of many people at work. At times, he has had to do some very strange things to take these pictures. In Zanzibar, he had to walk through the sea to take pictures of women who collect seaweed plants that grow in the sea. In Lombok, Indonesia, Keith woke very early in the morning to take pictures of the fish market. Another time, Keith flew in a small airplane so that he could take a picture of the pilot. This was not easy! The airplane was small and a strong wind was blowing. Keith found it difficult to stay still for long enough to take the picture.
Voice 2
For almost ten years, Keith loved his new life and work. He was travelling to amazing places. And he had a successful business. But in 2007, his life changed again. Keith discovered some strange lumps on his neck. These new raised areas had not been there before. So Keith went to the doctor. The doctor told Keith that he had cancer.
Voice 1
Keith had an operation to remove the cancer. He also had months of treatment with drugs. The cancer treatment was not easy and it hurt. Keith was very sick. At first, he was frightened by the cancer. He told the Surrey Advertiser newspaper,
Voice 3
"I would wake up at night, dreaming I was at my own funeral. So, I started writing things down. This helped me. Then I thought my experiences could help other people with cancer. So, I took my camera into hospital as often as I could."
Voice 2
Keith took pictures of himself during his months of treatment. He also took pictures of the doctors and the hospital. These pictures show his experience with cancer, in detail. They show his treatment, including his drugs, and his different treatments. They even show the wounds from his operation. His writing describes how he dealt with these treatments. He collected these pictures and writing in a book, called "Bangers and Mash". It helps other people know what to expect from cancer treatment. Keith described the book this way:
Voice 3
"Being treated for cancer is like being in a foreign country, and what you really need is a guide book to show you where to go."
Voice 1
After his treatment, Keith recovered and continued his work. But in 2009, his cancer returned. This time, the cancer was in his chest. Keith could not have an operation to remove the cancer. So once again he struggled through a difficult drug treatment process. Keith was told that he might not survive.
Voice 2
But Keith DID survive. Today, his cancer is in remission. This means that the cancer is gone for now. But it will take a few years before doctors can say if Keith is cured.
Voice 1
Keith feels well. He is taking as many pictures as he did before the cancer. He has received awards for his pictures. And he still travels. In early 2011, he took pictures in Guatemala and Belize. Next, Keith and his wife will spend three to four years travelling from Canada to Argentina. They will travel the full distance of the Americas - by car, bus, and train. And Keith will take pictures as they go. This will be a very long trip for a man who had been told he might die. But Keith Hern wants to live life to the full. He wants to use his skill to bring hope and beauty through his pictures as long as he can.
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