LAS VEGAS, /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
A recent Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) photography class empowered Denise McCarson to rely on her own conceptual instincts – not the camera's automatic function – to create breathtaking images.
The National Guard veteran borrowed a camera and started taking pictures several years ago while she was deployed. When she returned home, she bought her own camera, and photography quickly turned into one of her favorite hobbies.
"I realize I have control over the camera settings," Denise said. "I decide what I want my photo to be, not the camera. I've taken thousands of photos in the past, but now they're so much better. Photography is one thing that gives me so much pleasure."
Thanks to generous donors, WWP programs and services like the photography class are offered free of charge to warriors, their caregivers, and families, and they assist with mental health, physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, connecting warriors with one another and their communities, and long-term care for the most seriously wounded.
Not only does Denise take better pictures now, but the camaraderie of the class put her recovery in better focus. By connecting with other veterans and sharing their experiences with one another, all were comfortable to be more creative with their photo ideas.
"I am a part of something that is greater than me," she said. "I am a part of something that helps others with the same or similar issues. When you're with other warriors, nobody looks at you like you're a broken human.
"If it were not for these Wounded Warrior Project events, I may still be sitting in my room, lying in bed waiting for the day to end."
The 2016 WWP Annual Warrior Survey highlights the importance of connection at WWP outreach events. These settings support the long-term recovery of warriors with physical injuries and social anxieties.
"The photography class helped me get back something I felt I lost when my military career was over," Denise said. "Now I'm ready to explore other things that make me happy."
To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/, and click on multimedia.
