Matthew Barton, Sudbury photographer, uses lens to gain 'control' over PTSD

As he copes with the symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Sudbury photographer Matthew Barton turns his lens to the glittering night sky.

"About two, two-and-a-half years ago, I was in a pretty nasty car accident," said Barton.

"A pedestrian was killed, and I was diagnosed with severe PTSD." 

Barton said taking photos helps him deal with the symptoms.

"It's a loss of control, because your mind is not used to dealing with stuff like that," he said. "Photography kind of gives me that control back. I can set what the exposure is, you know, what the ISO is ... set the scene."   

Many of Barton's northern scenes are characterized by long streaks of star light, achieved by leaving his camera shutter open for long periods of time. 

Thanks to Artists on Elgin's "Emerging Artists" program, you can see some of those photographs. Barton's show, "Northern Ontario Star Trails" is on display in the lobby at Science North until July 31.  

Listen here to the full interview with Matthew Barton on CBC Sudbury's current affairs radio show Morning North with host Markus Schwabe.

Morning North6:45A story of photography and healing

Sudbury photographer Matthew Barton has a new exhibit on display at Science North. He says taking photos has helped him cope with a traumatic life experience. He joined us live in studio to tell us more.