Virtual ATP at Numotion, author, international award-winning photographer Heather C. Markham now lives in Cottonwood, but grew up in what she refers to as a nomadic military family with many homes in many places around the United States.

Her interest in photography was sparked early. She took a camera to Girl Scout camp when she was 10, and her camera captured in detail what she saw and experienced better than she could draw or fully remember. She took a few photography classes while in college but was especially enthusiastic about subtleties she could accomplish by darkroom processes. Upon graduation, she and her dad went shopping and came home with an entire darkroom setup. Thirty-five years later, her happy place still includes part of the original setup.

A milestone for Heather’s career is her first show at Fotonstrum. She has eight photographic pieces on display in the current show at Fotonostrum – Mediterranean House of Photography in Barcelona, Spain. It is the 6th Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography, running from Dec. 9 through Jan. 8, 2022, a juried show of international work which can be viewed online at www.FotonostrumVirtual.com. Categories where you’ll find her work are Culture and Daily Life, Black and White, two pieces in Motion with one depicting wheelchair rugby and the other a gymnast planting her landing, and a four-piece series entitled Drake’s Bath.

There are other sides to this talented and dedicated photographer. She has a form of Muscular Dystrophy, compromising the use of her hands, arms, and legs, keeping her using a wheelchair full time for mobility. Instead of being deterred, her circumstances inspire great achievement. She is an assistive technological professional working at Numotion Mobility; an accomplished writer, having just published her autobiography, Defending Sandcastles: adapting to a life continually undone in changing tides; still manages to be a competitive para surfer, “mermaid style,” as she calls it; and now she’s taken up golf!

Heather is pleasantly surprised when passersby stop to offer assistance. She will be supporting her camera on her leg and shooting from her lap, which steadies her equipment but also makes it hard for others to see it from a few feet away. “I’m very grateful when people see me stopped by the side of the road and check on me.” Actively optimistic, Heather quips, “Doing things differently is still doing!”

For more on Heather C. Markham, see her LinkedIn profile and be sure to visit her website www.justforthelove.com.