Dear Friends,
This week we wanted to share a beautiful photograph by David Evans – one that seems to invoke peace, quiet, and mindfulness.
One of the local vineyards in brilliant autumn display.
Speaking of mindfulness, what does mindfulness mean to you? The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology categorizes mindfulness as an “openness to novelty, sensitivity to context, and engagement with the present moment”. There is certainly no “one size fits all” when it comes to mindfulness, and so it is rewarding to try out different practices. With this in mind, we are sharing an article from PositivePsychology.com detailing 11 Therapeutic Ways to Use Your Camera:
Throughout the article, it often describes the photographer’s role in taking pictures as “freezing a moment”. It also warns the photographer against taking too many pictures as this can detach them from the experience:
Not only does freezing a moment offer new insights and feelings of being present, but by taking more care and time while reducing the number of photos taken, it is possible to make the act of photography itself more mindful. Then, once the scenes have been frozen in time, they can be reviewed and the feelings associated with each relived. We may also generate new thoughts and emotions from recognizing and attending to details not obvious when taking the pictures. -Jeremy Sutton, PH.D.
In short, the article gives three main tips on how to engage with mindful photography. These tips include: reducing the noise, refreshing the scene, and reducing the volume.
The publication misses only one important point – the content of the photo itself. Here at SeeingHappy, we would argue that the content should include moments of happiness, beauty, hope, humor, gratitude, and connection to add to the therapeutic well-being experience.
Happy snapping,
The Team at SeeingHappy
