Hello to you reading along - also to you just here for the pictures.

I am a (mostly) happy Danish man, formerly known as Jens. I lived a life like many others - filled with school, hobbies, family, and work.
You know; An ordinary life with ups and downs.

One of my very big interests, besides motorsport - and where I could truly immerse myself - was photography. I loved learning the technique of the camera and the gear, and understanding how to build a picture. Or to be more specific; understanding the technique to control the light, because pictures are all about light - either its presence or its absence, where you only just sense the silhouette. After some years, I had built up a lot of knowledge and gathered a lot of great gear, so I was prepared for most situations I could encounter.

I have photographed many things, from ordinary everyday life to motorsport, animals, portraits, and nature. I have always had a deep love for animals and nature - from wild wolves and lions to the common house cat and mice. I believe in rewilding and letting nature be natural, rather than seeing animals as part of a factory.

Unfortunately, I hit some very big downs. On December 26th, 2013, and again on December 31st, 2014, I was hit by strokes in the right side of my brain. Because of these health issues, I have been on early retirement since 2017.

When the brain fails
Because of my brain damage, I can sometimes act a bit awkward or say things that don't make sense. If my brain is tired, it cannot always find the right words. Instead, it grabs the first words it knows, even if they sound strange or angry.
It is never personal - it is simply my brain "short-circuiting" a bit. I never mean any harm by it. I also get tired very fast if there is too much noise or too many things happening at once. This is why it is hard for me to fit into a traditional workplace - and why it is difficult for bosses or owners to find room for me and the challenges I have.

The end of the life I knew
When the first strokes hit, I actually was brought back to life twice - one time on the floor in my living room and one time in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. After surgery I had lost the life I knew so well for the last 44 years. I was 80% paralyzed on my left side, and challenged on my learnings and having trouble remembering what I just had read, seen, heard or being told or had said.

After one month of intensive rehabilitation at a neurological hospital and continuing my recovery in my home municipality in 2014 - learning about my new limitations, overcoming challenges, and learning new routines - I ran into Lady Luck once more time.
On New Year’s Eve 2014, she 'blessed' me again with new strokes, which, among other things, left me with no feeling in my left leg and foot.

So now, I have to 'feel' where I step with my eyes - which, as you can imagine, takes up a huge chunk of my energy. On my bad days, this isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

How does it feel, you might ask?
It feels like standing on your healthy leg on a 5-meter diving board, while your injured leg is searching for solid ground over the edge before you step out into the 'nothingness'. Because I cannot feel or see exactly what I am stepping on, I have to use a lot of mental energy for every single step. This is why I get tired much faster than before.

Getting back to photography
2026 is the year my new journey begins. After my strokes, I lost the memory of how to use my gear. The late effects have left me with a challenged memory, making it hard to remember things I had already learned and difficult to retain new information without a lot of repetition.

Back in 2019, out of pure frustration and anger, I got "mad" and gave up on photography and sold everything - cameras, lenses, lights, and gear.
- But now, well helped by my best friend and with advice, encouragement, and ideas from friends and family, I have started (from almost zero) to relearn - slowly and with many repetitions - the passion for nerding out, learning, getting better, understanding, and 'playing' with light, shadows, and the camera.

This is basically also the reason for this website and my honesty; to have someone to share my current and future ups and downs with. Photography is my way of reconnecting with the world, relearning it all, picture by picture.

From Jens to Paw – Goodbye to the old me
I realized that if I fought to become who I was before, I would lose. That fight would take all my energy. I therefore had to accept my new life.
My hope is to find the energy to get back out into nature with my camera. I want to enjoy the silence and the animals - even the annoying mosquitoes, ants, and other bugs that might "disturb" my inner peace. To me, that is all part of the real life and experience.

A friend suggested I visit a numerologist to find a new name. I was very skeptical, but I went anyway. Among the suggestions were Pau, Pav, and Paul - but then came up Paw. Because of my connection to the animal and nature, the choice was easy. In 2015, I officially changed my name from Jens to Paw.

Want to join the journey?
If you want to follow my development - honestly and without "cherry-picking" - feel free to sign up for my mailing list. You will see the bad days and the "short-circuits," not just the polished moments. It is a genuine look into a life for better or worse. I only send 1-2 emails a month, and it is completely free.

Support
You can also visit my SHOP to see if anything tempts you. I offer mugs, t-shirts, and tote bags featuring my own quotes and designs.

If you’re not looking for gear but still want to help out, you can also 'Buy me a coffee'. Link below. Every bit of support helps me keep this website running, so everyone can follow my progress and see the results of their support.
Your help allows me to get back to what I love: being social through photography, while also finding peace in nature on its own terms.
It keeps this journey alive - learning, experimenting, failing, and daring to try again. ..and again.

Thank you very much for reading my story - told from my 'Point Of View' - ByNoer.