Former photographer uses camera skills in new career as carer

A former professional photographer has made her skill with a camera a major part of her new career as a carer.

Beverley Malkin, of Ward Royal in Windsor, began taking pictures as a child and made her living for years photographing children at pre-schools.

But the 53-year-old said: "I got fed up touting heavy photographic equipment round and wanted a change. I knew a lot of elderly people and liked doing small chores for them, so I decided to retrain as a care giver."

One of the clients she provides home care to is 80-year-old Gillian. Despite suffering from dementia there was something about Gillian that inspired Beverley to reach for her camera again.

The results were amazing. Beverley said: "I believe she worked for a magazine once. Once in front of the camera she literally lit up, it was unbelievable. She just knew exactly what to do, how to pose and yet still look perfectly natural. I am really pleased with the shots; I think they are not only beautiful but quite inspirational.”

Beverley's unconventional approach has the full backing of her employers at the Home Instead senior care company. But photography has always been a part of her life.

Beverley, who has two daughters aged 20 and 21, says she first picked up a camera when she was a little girl and is in constant demand to record any family occasions or friends' get togethers.

Even a tree blocking the light into her kitchen - initially an annoyance - ended up inspiring her when she discovered she had a birds' eye view into a blackbirds' nest. This enabled her to record from her kitchen window an intricate series of close-up images of the fledgling birds' growth and development.

She hopes to publish a children’s book from the images.