Matt Doogue, a 34-year-old nature photographer, had been suffering from depression when he first found his passion for taking pictures of insects and his work is now featured in National Geographic. He says that he tried to take his own life nine years ago after hitting rock bottom. "In the beginning, I was so paranoid(多疑的) and angry that I couldn't leave the house," says Doogue. "When I attempted to end my life, I knew I needed to see someone. I went to the doctors and got treatment, but I know that I needed something more and that's when I started photography. "
Now a dad of two, Doogue found that looking at insects through a camera helped him in ways he could never have imagined and it proved to be the lifeline he needed. It had a calming effect that helped him to disconnect from stress. And his astonishing images, showing insects and spiders in amazing detail against brightly colored backgrounds, caught the eye of publishers at National Geographic. "I ended up as one of their featured photographers," recalled Doogue. "It was the peak of my career. It was incredible. "
Originally from Salford, Greater Manchester, he now lives in Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland. Though he fears that Scotland is in the middle of an epidemic of male suicide, he believes that sharing his love of nature photography can help others to cope with their mental health issues as well. "I think the problem is this man-up approach; the idea that men need to be strong puts so much pressure on young males to be fine all the time," says Doogue. "This is why I try and be so open about my own experience. Whenever I am out with my camera, I don't think about my other worries. It is just me and the environment around me. You can lose yourself in a spider making its web. "
