A St Austell photographer is celebrating his first sell-out calendar which will see funds donated to the Cornwall services of Hft – the national learning disability charity which supports him to live his best life.

Dan created a calendar of his works towards the end of 2022, selecting images that, to him, best reflect each month of the year. 

He wanted to use his self-taught photography and editing skills to make a difference to the charity that supports adults, like himself, with learning disabilities across England and Wales.

The now 23-year-old first became interested in photography in 2019 and his dedication and patience have helped in improving his abilities since then.

He has a keen eye for birds, which is where his photographic practice started. 

He has particularly enjoyed capturing robins and Canada geese in the past and acknowledges that his photography has improved greatly since he first started.

He said: “I first started photography by taking photographs of swans and the beach. 

“Then, when I got my first camera, I decided to go further with my photography,”

Dan has ventured across Cornwall to photograph nature from Newquay Zoo to the Eden Project. He even used his own back garden to capture a shot of the moon in the night sky using a 75mm-300m zoom lens on his camera.

He especially enjoys sharing his photography with others.

“The reason why I started photography, is because when I take photographs and share them, I like seeing people’s reaction, and receiving feedback on where I can improve taking photographs,” he said.

In the coming months, Dan is planning to create his next Hft fundraising calendar for 2024, which will be available to purchase towards the end of the year.

He would also like to place his photographs on canvases for himself and his family to enjoy.

Hft is a national charity supporting more than 2,500 adults with learning disabilities to live the best life possible. 

Established in 1962, the charity uses its own unique Fusion Model to consistently deliver high quality, person-centred support across all its services.

Services range from supported living to residential care – from a few hours a week to 24 hours a day. 

Hft also helps people with learning disabilities to take part in daily activities, make friends and develop relationships and to find work.