Felicity Berkleef can truly say that art changed her life for the better. Even though she was a happy, outgoing child who loved life, circumstances changed when she entered high school. Incessant bullying took its toll on Berkleef, who resorted to crying on a daily basis. The difficulties in her life became exponential when she almost lost her mom. The buildup of negative emotions, due to all of her unfortunate obstacles, also led her to perform poorly in school.
Luckily, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and Berkleef's situation improved once she was introduced to the art world. “My life became positive again when I was in my first year of studying graphic design. I got friends, became outgoing and I was happy again, but it was missing something,” she wrote on Bored Panda. “I still wanted to remember the moments, so I bought my first DSLR camera and started taking photos and posted them on Flickr. I got so many positive comments and learned so much.”
Photography became a release for Berkleef, whose work mainly focuses on cats. Rather than simply capturing the cute and cuddly, the young woman uses her furry subjects to tell a story that's filled with emotion and contrast. Ultimately, Berkleef says, “Photography has changed my life forever and I’m happy that I can share that with people around the world.”
Felicity Berkleef: Instagram | Tumblr | Flickr | 500px
via [Creative Boom, Bored Panda]