Colin Franks Photography

Colin Franks Photography Photography (mostly birds) by Colin Franks In July of 2021, I was diagnosed with the most horrific disease imaginable - ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

A death sentence. A month later, upon retesting at another more specialized clinic, I was told that it looks like the more rare form of Motor Neuron Disease known as PLS (Primary Lateral Sclerosis). ALS is the premature dying of the nerve cells known as "Motor Neurons" that we all have in the brain and spinal column, whereas PLS is the same thing, but involves the Motor Neurons in the brain only,

so is slower progressing. This "less worse" diagnosis requires about four years time to be certain of it being PLS rather than ALS, and I have made it to that point. While it is possible that PLS can still morph into ALS after that four year mark, my neurologist says that she would be surprised if that were to happen in my case. Fingers crossed. This diagnosis meant selling our beloved home, in favour of a wheelchair-friendly condo, and we made that move seven months after diagnosis. It also forced me to shut down my Sign business, after 28 years in operation. Huge changes. I've continued with my passion for bird photography to the best of my declining ability, but as the disease has indeed progressed, I now cannot take a step without a walker, and also use an electric wheelchair, so I am unable to get out into the rugged terrain like I used to. I can get to a few easy locations, and can photograph the odd bird off my deck, but that's about it. If you've got your health, you've got everything. Photos are available as prints, any size.

A Common Loon in the portrait studio.
07/22/2026

A Common Loon in the portrait studio.

"I approve of this post" says this Bonaparte's Gull.
07/21/2026

"I approve of this post" says this Bonaparte's Gull.

I managed to capture some images of this Cooper's Hawk a few days ago from my deck.I'll post the other photos in the com...
07/20/2026

I managed to capture some images of this Cooper's Hawk a few days ago from my deck.
I'll post the other photos in the comments below.

Yellow-headed Blackbird. I wish we had these birds in my area.
07/16/2026

Yellow-headed Blackbird. I wish we had these birds in my area.

A Cedar Waxwing swooping down to the surface of a duckweed covered pond to grab a Damselfy.
07/15/2026

A Cedar Waxwing swooping down to the surface of a duckweed covered pond to grab a Damselfy.

144 photos for you today!My wife and I haven't travelled anywhere together for 18 years, largely due to being tied down ...
07/14/2026

144 photos for you today!

My wife and I haven't travelled anywhere together for 18 years, largely due to being tied down by our cat, but he died a few months ago, so that has freed us up a bit to go somewhere. Given the progression of my disease (PLS), I feel that I won't be able to travel next year, so we did an Alaskan cruise last week, as that was close and doable.

It was ok, but challenging and exhausting. We've made many many adjustments and adaptations within our living space in the past few years, and stepping outside of that zone into the "real world" amplified just how disabled I am, even with an accessible room on the ship. There's no way I could have done this trip with just a walker, my electric wheelchair did very well.

Here's a link here to my photos from the trip. Be sure to use a desktop, laptop, or at least an iPad, not a tiny smartphone, and click on the "Fullscreen View" or "Slideshow" links on the page. If you do use your phone to view them, you're missing out.

https://public.fotki.com/Trigger/alaska/alaska/

It was five years ago today that I received the awful diagnosis of ALS. I'm grateful that after re-testing at a more sp...
07/13/2026

It was five years ago today that I received the awful diagnosis of ALS. I'm grateful that after re-testing at a more specialized clinic a month later it was changed to PLS (a slower progressing motor neuron disease), but it's still been an awful, relentless progression and journey of loss.

Two years ago, I announced that I had come to the end of my bird photography, but the discovery of an All-Terrain walker a few months later got me back out again, albeit in a very limited way. I have continued to persevere, posting any new shots, plus some older ones that never did get posted, unfortunately, the PLS has continued to progress, and I'm now at a point of disability that almost everything is very difficult and exhausting. The mild stroke I had 17 months ago also made everything worse. It's difficult for me to just get a photo of a bird off the deck now.

I recently thought about using this anniversary date to truly say goodbye, but I think that I will continue to post some older shots that never got posted, and any new ones I might get, but there won't likely be many of the latter.

As I've said before, if you've got your health, you've got everything. I still feel so young inside, but trapped in a body that just doesn't respond. I hope you all appreciate what you have.

Anna's Hummingbird
07/08/2026

Anna's Hummingbird

Great Grey Owl.
07/07/2026

Great Grey Owl.

Red-breasted Nuthatch.
07/06/2026

Red-breasted Nuthatch.

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