What photographing death taught me about life | Caroline Catlin | TEDxSeattle

In this 2020 TEDxSeattle talk, see how Caroline Catlin’s own experience with illness inspired her to connect to others facing similar challenges.

After a diagnosis of a rare form of brain cancer, Caroline Catlin was forced to confront her own mortality and come face to face with the complex emotions surrounding death and dying. Through photography and writing, she has learned to see the beauty in the end of life, and reframed her perspective on her own cancer in the process.

1:35 Catlin explains her evolving interest in the emotions of those around her and how she records these emotions.
4:45 The effect of a cancer diagnosis on Catlin’s understanding of emotion.
6:40 Catlin describes her feelings while taking photos of those who are dying.

More to explore:
Learn about Caroline Catlin’s work at http://www.carolinecatlin.com/
Soulumination provides photography packages for those in need. Learn more here: https://www.soulumination.org/
View “What Really Matters at the End of Life?”, a TED talk by BJ Miller and Hospice and palliative care Physician: https://www.ted.com/talks/bj_miller_what_really_matters_at_the_end_of_life
Learn about lessons learned when almost dying from at TED Talk by Suleika Jaouad: https://www.ted.com/talks/suleika_jaouad_what_almost_dying_taught_me_about_living
During his TED Talk, Jason B. Rosenthal give a humorous view of loss and grief: https://www.ted.com/talks/jason_b_rosenthal_the_journey_through_loss_and_grief Caroline Catlin is a writer, photographer, and nap enthusiast. She exudes such a positive, bubbly personality that her desire to dive into intense and difficult topics may come as a surprise to some—but for Catlin, joy and loss feel deeply intertwined.

In January 2019, Catlin found out she had brain cancer. A long-time advocate for mental health, Catlin suddenly found herself dealing with trauma and devastating illness first hand. With the help of her “sunshine tornado” partner, she made it through multiple rounds of radiation and chemo that were followed by coffeehouse jaunts with her dog and close friends in tow. The road was long, but she made a point to, “practice letting joy in.” Through it all, Catlin found the strength to process her own journey through trauma and to look with an inquisitive and sensitive eye at how other people function through life’s most difficult moments.

This work has taken Catlin and her camera to the bedside of those breathing their last breath and into the lives of individuals dealing with intense grief and loss. Catlin’s research and work in behavioral health and developmental trauma have inspired her to reform the way health, illness, and disability are portrayed in the media. Through her lens we can discover the art within caregiving and therapy. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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