Through the Lens: Photography for Wellbeing

This photo is called Circle of Life. I photographed this last spring while laying on my back in the middle of a majestic forest in BC. I was out with a group of other photographers getting eaten by mosquitos and taking photos of the area. It was very enjoyable, (well not the mosquito biting part) and of course that is therapeutic being with and enjoying other people. What I really wanted to share with you tonight is an awesome website that I stumbled across. In an article called "7 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health" by Danielle Hark  on the Beliefnet website, I read the suggestion to "try art" and even take pictures with your cell phone. "The key" Hark states, "is not what you create, it is how you create it. Its about being in the present moment and enjoying the process of creating."  Of course this caught my interest because I have also been encouraging this.  Hark provided a link to her website Broken Light Collective. I'd encourage ...

Photographer Freeman Patterson wrote, in  Photography of Natural Things  (1982), "The growth of cities has increased interest in nature photography as an antidote to the pressures of urban living, a readily available therapy, and a stimulating creative outlet". I totally agree with this statement as I have experienced this for myself. Stepping out into nature, with camera in hand, can provide uplifting and therapeutic experiences. While driving along the highway recently I noticed Trumpeter Swans flying and landing on ponds and streams in fields within the interior of British Columbia. So as soon as I had the chance took the opportunity to pull over to observe and photograph these magnificent creatures. Witnessing these beautiful birds, ones I have rarely seen before (except in photographs made by others), got my blood pumping and although I could have easily rushed over to start snapping pictures, that would have scared them away and would have been disrespectf...

Jan Phillips wrote, in God is at Eye Level, that "We heal ourselves in the act of photographing by being fully present to the moment at hand. When we stand on the edge of that which is, we are released from the yoke of what has been, detached from the fear of what might be. There is only the moment, the light, the matter of vision. All is peace in the eternal now". I feel this when I am photographing nature. My worries slip away, my heart beat regulates, and I feel calm. How does getting out into nature and photographing make you feel? I mentioned this in a previous post and I encourage you again to give it a try.

Like written diaries, where we document events of the day, our thoughts, challenges or vent our emotions, etc, and this being a therapeutic activity, self-portraits can be a sort of diary with therapeutic benefits. Christina Nunez, who wrote the article "The self-portrait, a powerful tool for self-therapy", in the March 2009  European Journal of Psychotherapy and  Counselling, suggests that creating an image of yourself can be like using a "punching bag".  You can take photos of yourself when you cry, dance, when you are angry, and this allows you to release your emotions and vent into the camera and express yourself. Jason Harris took a self-portrait every day for 12 years, even through his battle with cancer. Check out his video here. http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/self-portrait-every-day-for-12-years-capturing-a-journey-through-life/. You may also like this short clip of a girl who took a self-portrait each day over a 5 year period and then created a time lap...

I recently came across an article about an amazing photographer, Kirsty Mitchell, who used photography to help her deal with the grief she felt after losing her mother. Time and time again we hear about artists, whether photographers, painters, or musicians to name a few, who draw from their emotions and experiences to create amazing work.  Photography certainly has the power to heal. Check out this link. Wonderland by Kirsty Mitchell: heart-breakingly beautiful photographic series in memory of an extrao

Everyone goes through difficult dark times in their life at some point in time and when it happens it can be a real challenge to remain positive and hopeful. My photography instructor instructed our group to capture hope in a photograph for a friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer During this assignment I found myself reflecting upon personal experiences where I found and held onto hope. Here are a couple of the images I made. I challenge you to take some time to think about this word - Hope - and what it means to you. How have you survived difficult times in the past? Is there a special person, or people, in your life that you focus on? Does your faith bring you a hopeful feeling? Or is it something totally different that helps you to maintain hopefulness? You might do some brainstorming in a journal and then think about how you would capture hope in a photograph. I hope this exercise reminds you of all that you hope for, to draw upon for strength, t...

I spent the morning looking through some of my photos from the past year. These photos tell a story about my life during that time - some of the people in my life and the activities and events I engaged in. Reviewing these photos helped me to reflect on what is important to me, what I enjoyed about the past year, and what I want to change or what I want more of in my future. This is the time of year when many of us think about new beginnings and setting goals to help us be successful meeting our new years resolutions.  Try looking through your own photos from the past year. What do these images tell you about your life story from 2011 and what is the story that you want to create for yourself in 2012?  Not only is this a great activity - using photos to reflect on your life and creating goals, but you might also want to create a collage of photos from the past year and a storyboard or visionboard (a collage of images, words, phrases) to...