Chris Montague Photography, Abbey Churchyard, Bath (2026)

06/01/2026

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Part 3 of 3 – make it on your own…
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As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, pushing through difficult times often means sitting with discomfort for a while. But for those who know me, I’m very much a glass almost full kind of person. Sitting with something doesn’t mean wallowing in it. For me, it’s reflection, then a plan, then action. That’s the rhythm.
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Having that enforced extra time gave me space to step back and really look at which fork in the road to take next, or as I said in my last post, which part of the canal to move through. I’m fortunate in that I’m fairly good at taking my own advice. Making plans. Stepping outside the comfort zone that keeps you functioning, but not quite fully alive.
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And so this year, I’m going to make it on my own. Hence the title of this final part. It feels less like an ending and much more like the start of something new. I’m striking out on my own work wise. The health scare forced a re-evaluation, and with a bit of advice from family and others who’ve done the same, I feel genuinely excited about the next chapter.
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With that, it feels more than appropriate to reference a song that captures exactly this moment. I saw the Stereophonics in December last year, and fittingly, this was the opening track of the gig and the album. A few lines that really landed with me:
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“Knuckle down and bend your bow
Shoot the arrow, let fires glow
The sun won’t burn forever
What stars align, what goes up in smoke
What breaks your heart, what hurts you most
Ends up in the rear-view mirror”
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These words perfectly reflect the message I’m putting out today. Life can be scary, until something scares you even more. And when that happens, it has a funny way of sharpening your focus. It pushes you to finally do the thing you’ve always talked about, because as I always like to say, life’s too short not to.
•And finally, the photo. It’s Bath Abbey, the same iconic building, just seen from a different angle and a slightly different perspective. See what I did there?
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Here’s to 2026 and beyond. No resolutions, as always, just a shift in energy and direction. A quiet but deliberate move forward. So, you can say it with me it’s time to… make it on your own. 😁🙌🏽
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

02/01/2026

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Part 2 of 3 - 2025 The Breakthrough
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Hi all,
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Firstly, happy new year. But what does that actually mean? How can it be a happy one when it’s only just begun? I know, I know, it’s implied. Still, I find myself increasingly wary of these well worn phrases. You know the ones. “It’ll get better with time.” “Time is a healer.” They’re often said with good intent, but they’re lazy all the same. Usually spoken when people don’t quite know what to say, or without realising that for words to cut through, they need depth.
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Think about it. When was the last time you heard something like that and felt instantly lighter, as if a weight had been lifted? Exactly. As our understanding of language, the human mind, feelings, and spirit evolves, so should the way we speak to one another.
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Instead of saying “I know how you feel”, because the truth is, you really don’t, how about “I hear you, and I’m here for you”. That’s empathy with intent. Listening properly, then backing those words up with action, in a way that the other person actually receives. Maybe that’s a hug. Maybe it’s making a cuppa. Sharing good food. Or just giving someone your time, properly and without distraction. Do that first, then ask how they feel. I suspect the answer will land very differently.
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Before this turns into a full therapy session, haha, you’ll see my point. We need to let go a little and feel more. Feelings aren’t good or bad. They just are. And with that in mind, why does this photo represent a breakthrough for me?
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So, in this photo I have the river off to my left, just out of view, and the Bath canal locks ahead. Most people who don’t know the hidden beauties of Bath will keep walking along the river until they reach the famous monuments, like Pulteney Bridge from my last post. But if you keep going the way this photo points, it takes you towards the Bath and Avon Canal and a run of locks along a smaller, less trodden route.
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And the locks are such a good representation of life. You have to fill one section with water, the equivalent of filling your cup, before you can move through to the next part of the canal. Isn’t that exactly how it goes? No one runs well on empty. Sometimes you need to take your time, wait a while, reflect, then move forward. That’s not being stuck. That’s preparing. When you’ve been psychologically suspended for a while, those pauses start to make sense.
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It reminds me of the quote on one of the prints I have hanging around the house, by one of my favourite artists, Charlie Mackesy :
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“I can’t see a way through,” said the boy.
“Can you see your next step?” asked the horse.
“Yes.”
“Just take that.”
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And that feels like the tenet to carry forward.
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So let me rework that opening line. Let’s make it a happy new year, not by wishing it into existence, but by influencing it in the small ways we can control. Doing things just a little differently than before is often all it takes to restart.
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# fillupyourcup
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

31/12/2025

Part 1 of 3 - 2025 The Struggle
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Hi all,
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Grab a cuppa. Long post warning. It matters though, so please bear with me.
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It’s been a while, but I’m still here. So why did I choose to reflect on 2025 with this photo?
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Whenever I visit Bath, I always make a point of seeing Pulteney Bridge. It’s a quiet anchor to my past, firmly rooted in the present, and still there for the future. A gentle reminder of where I come from and where I am now. The bridge is timeless. We’re not. And yet it reminds me that while a lot changes, some things remain reassuringly the same. That’s why it matters.
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Now, if you’ve made that cuppa and you’re sitting comfortably, this is where I probably slip into Jackanory mode. If you remember that programme, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
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To say the end of 2024 and all of 2025 have been difficult would be a biblical understatement. If you’ve had a tough year too, know that I genuinely empathise. You’re not alone in that.
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Pushing through difficult times means learning how to sit with discomfort, sometimes for longer than you’d like. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past fourteen months. Without going into too much detail, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After multiple hospital appointments and further tests, it thankfully turned out not to be the case. It was something else, so I’m still not entirely in the clear, but I’ll talk more about that at a later date. At the time though, it didn’t feel like a relief.
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That waiting was the hardest part. I felt psychologically suspended, caught in a strange space between outcomes, and very alone. Even with supportive family and friends around you, there’s a loneliness and fear that only you can really sit with. That’s why I went quiet for a while.
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I’ll talk more about this another time, but what helped me through was staying active, physically, and more importantly, mentally. There’s a reason the Stoics talk so much about endurance. “Hardship and endurance are training for the soul.” Difficulties strengthen the mind. That idea isn’t just a quote, it’s a core tenet of Stoicism, and one I’ve leaned on heavily this past year.
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Sometimes you don’t need answers straight away. You just need to keep moving, keep steady, and trust that clarity will come when it’s ready.
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BTW how was your brew? See you tomorrow for the next instalment.
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Happy new year’s eve everyone!
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

02/01/2024

The things you can control…
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Happy new year people!
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I had a quite an in-depth conversation with one of my best friends over Christmas, where we discussed many things and how challenging 2023 was for many different reasons. One thing to come from these multiple conversations, was, “Control what is in your will to do so, and let go of the things that you can’t.”
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This is a core lesson from the Stoics and when you think of it, my core virtue of calmness I talked about in my last post, really resonates with this. We all need a lot more peace in this world, so why not start with your little corner of the universe?
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As one of my favourite photographers & philosopher , says it is a sliding scale of things you Can Control, Can Influence, Can’t Control. Unfortunately most of us focus on the things we Can’t Control, when we really should be at the opposite end of the scale.
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As we all should know “it’s ok, not to be ok”. But if we don’t then use these powerful words to challenge ourselves and change the outcome and direction of things, how can we expect a different outcome?
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One of the problems with society is we unknowingly compare ourselves to others, and only see people that are striving, while we struggle. What we sometimes forget is they didn’t start out that way. They achieved things simply by focusing on what they could control.
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Of course others things may come in to play, which is the influence part, but the rest is up to us to put the work in. Whether it’s a new job, new skill, new relationship, new hobby or just a steady continuous change to what you’re currently doing - the important thing is put the work into what you can control, everything else… “let the chips fall where they may”, and let it go.
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Focus on putting the work and energy into what you can, and calmness will descend, and you too can sit on a bench like this under a lovely old tree and smile more like I did on that day.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

31/12/2023

Keep calm and stroll into 2024…
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“To hear trials with a calm mind robs misfortune of its strength and burden.”
Seneca, Hercules Oetaeus, 231-232.
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What is meant by this passage by one of the most famous stoics?
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I understand it to mean something along the lines of, “keep calm and carry on”.
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2023 has been a challenging year for many of us, and as I mentioned in my last post, it is sometimes difficult to see a way through, but here we are. Breathe deep and know that you made it this far, so you now have the tools not just to survive but eventually thrive.
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Change might not happen overnight, but doing it with calmness and kindness, my two favourite virtues, is always a good way start 2024.
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This older couple in my photo smiled and said “hi” as they strolled past. Instantly I felt an even greater calmness come over me, it’s like they already knew, stress less and be calm more.
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Have a great new year people, I wish you all peace and happiness into the new year.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

30/12/2023

No way through…
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To quote one of favourite artists , “I can’t see a way through… can you you see your next step, just take that.”
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That is literally how we view life a lot of the time and as we let the mind wander during the - I don’t know what day it is between Christmas and New year, it’s important to put things into perspective. Look how far you’ve come. Nobody starts life as expert, so why do we treat ourselves with such disdain for what is just a notch in our life. A young tree becomes a sapling, before it turns into an adult and that’s how we should learn from nature. Contrary to popular believe you cannot be “born ready”.
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So instead, just put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward, even when you feel like you’re running through treacle or darkness like the tunnel ahead of these two festive runners. Guess what they came out the other side faster than I did, but I still made it through at my slower walking pace. So don’t compare your journey to others, and as I said before, just keep moving forward into 2024 people, if the you can’t find the light, it will find you.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

22/12/2023

Seeing things from a different perspective…
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As this year draws to a close, to quote a well know French writer: “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose” or for those of us that didn’t continue to study French, the translation is, “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.
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Change is good right? Or is it? What I do know is it’s necessary. Building on my last post, change doesn’t have to be traumatising. We just need to train ourselves to look at things from a different angle. Take this photo here, it is of Bath Abbey, that I took today, it’s not the usual photograph where you can instantly recognise it from the front. However it’s still just as stunning from the side, don’t you think?
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As humans we change our appearance, but on the inside is what matters. Self development and growth can only be achieved from within regardless of how others view you.
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So with the winter solstice in full swing, this signifies that it is time to reflect. You might not always require a change, but the journey and evaluation for yourself should be part of the process to see if it is necessary.
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Have a lovely festive and restful period people. The sun and brighter days is literally just around the corner…
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

26/11/2023

Trip to the Lakes Part 3…
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View from the top
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It’s a bit nippy outside at the moment, so does that mean we shouldn’t go outside? Of course not, it just means we need to prepare ourselves a little differently. Isn’t living, and not just existing doing exactly that?
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Ask yourself when is the last time you took a small risk? Risks to me are not about being reckless, they are more about pushing oneself to take a break from the norm, and create a new one. This is what growth looks like.
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Risks don’t have to be large, they just need to be challenging. I’m mentioning this now because the days are darker and colder and naturally we feel like we should retreat into ourselves, just a little bit. I’d counter that by saying this is the perfect time to do the opposite to feel alive, and look at things from a different perspective. Cold crisps mornings can be a joy if we treat it as such. We might even get a bit snow this week, and isn’t funny how many people love that, but just a minute… that means it’s cold right? How we look at things can change a mood, so let’s be our own light, like snow is, in these darker days.
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Climbing mountains like the one in this photo is what we do, so small steps and keep moving forward people. Happy Sunday whenever you are.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

19/11/2023

Trip to the Lakes Part 2…
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That’s what friends are for
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Charity begins at home…
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Is a saying that is often used in a negative way and those that use it, are sometimes described as selfish. This very old proverb and is mostly misunderstood, because the last very important end part of the proverb has been dropped throughout the centuries. Without it the context and meaning changes. So, what are these words? They are: “but should not end there”.
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I have often used a similar saying, “Always look after number one”, and before I can finish, some people have switched off. The end part is “...because unless you do, you’ll not be in a position to look after anyone or anything else”. Every wonder why on airplanes they always ask you to put your seatbelt first before you do for children? Food for thought, as one might say…
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So what is my point? To coin another commonly used phrase (in full this time), “fill your own cup… before you can pour into others.” We too often forget about ourselves, and self-care is important to ensure you are there for others. The weekend away with great friends reminded many of us about that. You can and should do what’s important to you, to fill your cup. Mine is walking and time with friends, what’s yours?
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Make time for yourself, and your recharged energy will naturally show and flow to those around you. Hope you’re having a happy chilled Sunday people.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

16/11/2023

Trip to the Lakes Part 1…(long post warning)
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You’re never too old
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I not a strong believer of bucket list, but I am definitely a fan of trying something new. Challenge is good, and waking your brain up to new experiences is important to keep yourself alive. I’ve never fished, and I can honestly say, I never had the desire to either. But I’m all for expanding horizons, so when a friend suggested to give it a go, on a trip before we reached the Lakes for the weekend. I thought why not.
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I practised multiple casts first, which is of course harder than it looks. I then had a fly bait attached and went about trying to improve my casting technique, which was basically throwing the bait with its hook over the water, to explain to those non-fishers like me.
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I had zero expectations and already knew there is a lot of skill involved, in catching something, so imagine my surprise when I had my first bite on the line. I literally didn’t know what to do, so invariably the fish got away, as I had (and still have) no clue what I was doing, but boy it was fun.
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So whilst I struggled to cast my line a long way into the Lake, one of the expert instructors clearly took pity on me and offered some advice and demonstrated how to immediately improve my basic technique. Well would you know some minutes later, a fish decided to take the bait again! This time with some guidance I had my first trout in a net before it was returned back in the water. Clear to say, I am now hooked (sorry couldn’t resist) and I will be returning to give it another go in the future.
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Work has been very challenging recently, so this was perfect type of distraction. The darker mornings and nights also don’t help, but as nature pushes us indoors, it means even more than ever we should get outside and enjoy the light whilst it’s there. Maybe even try something new, challenge yourself, so we can become our own light in these darker days.
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chris-montague.com | [email protected]

Chris Montague Photography

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